Our People

Chotiwat Jantarakasem is identifying opportunities where cutting-edge technology can address pressing needs to improve access to clean water and sufficient, safe food for people around the world, particularly in vulnerable and underserved communities.

Faculty, K. Lisa Yang Brain-Body Center

Faculty, K. Lisa Yang Integrative Computational Neuroscience (ICoN) Center

Eugene McDermott Professor in the Brain Sciences & Human Behavior

Faculty, K. Lisa Yang Integrative Computational Neuroscience (ICoN) Center

Professor and Director of Education, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT

Iman Khanani studies how people hear pitch by optimizing computational models for relative pitch perception to test if they exhibit human traits, which could enhance our understanding of auditory processing.

Faculty, K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics

David H. Koch (1962) Institute Professor at MIT

Duncan Lee studies how understanding the biomechanics of people with lower limb amputation can inform better design of prosthetic ankle-foot devices, enabling improved mobility and quality of life outcomes.

Eva Lendaro investigates how sympathetic nervous system activity and axonal sprouting after craniofacial nerve injury drive chronic neuropathic pain, with the goal of developing targeted molecular and neuromodulatory strategies to prevent and treat orofacial pain.

Daniel Levine designs intelligent and accessible prostheses that predict and assist human movement.

Faculty, K. Lisa Yang Integrative Computational Neuroscience (ICoN) Center

Professor, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences MIT

Qianli Liao aims to bridge the gap between artificial and biological neural networks. He studies how to implement deep learning in the brain and how biological neural systems can effectively train their neural networks at circuit and synaptic levels.

Yixi Liu is using an advanced imaging technique known as network-fixation expansion microscopy (nfExM) to investigate nanoscale structural changes in synapses and mitochondria in animal models of autism, with the aim of identifying potential biomarkers and deepening our understanding of autism spectrum disorders.

Yuanming Liu uses electron microscopy and computational approaches to map the neuronal circuits underlying inspiratory rhythm generation at synaptic resolution. He also combines in vivo imaging with spatial transcriptomics to identify the molecular and cellular basis of vocalization and vocal-respiratory coordination in the brain.

Faculty, K. Lisa Yang Integrative Computational Neuroscience (ICoN) Center

Associate Department Head and Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT

Faculty, K. Lisa Yang Integrative Computational Neuroscience (ICoN) Center

Dan Mitropolsky is developing a theoretical computer science approach to understanding the brain: defining and studying minimalistic models based off the simplest assumptions from neuroscience, and in particular thinking about what are the necessary assumptions to make language and learning possible.

Samira Mohammed is expanding the toolkit of nanoparticle-based MRI sensors by developing probes that convert optical signals into contrast changes detectable by MRI, enabling noninvasive mapping of molecular brain activity at unprecedented depth and resolution.

Keisuke Nagao develops novel strategies for the systemic delivery of gene-editing tools to animal models via a chemical approach.

Mohamed Naouri is conducting a techno-economic analysis of integrated desalination and drip irrigation systems to address water scarcity and enhance agricultural sustainability for smallholders.

Kyla Nichols aims to uncover how mucus facilitates estrogen metabolism and availability by the gut microbiome and how this could influence sex-based differences seen in mental health disorders via the gut-brain axis.

Vatsal Patel is working to close the immense gap between human hand dexterity and artificial systems. His research will capture rich multimodal signals in natural in-hand manipulation to build predictive neural models and test them directly on prosthetic and robotic hands.

Faculty, K. Lisa Yang Integrative Computational Neuroscience (ICoN) Center

Eugene McDermott Professor, Brain and Cognitive Sciences

Daoyuan Qian’s research focuses on theoretical aspects of modularity and generalization in the context of artificial neural networks, as well as computational models of birdsong learning and memory.

Junqing Qiao is developing a real-time muscle-tendon stiffness sensor for the exoskeleton application.