Our People

Lakshmi Govindarajan’s research draws from modern statistical tools to provide computational accounts of the interface between perceptual and cognitive processes in biological systems.

Faculty, Hock E. Tan and K. Lisa Yang Center for Autism Research

Institute Professor at MIT

Faculty, K. Lisa Yang Brain-Body Center

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

Associate Professor and Graduate Officer, Brain and Cognitive Sciences

Co-Director, K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics

Faculty, K. Lisa Yang Global Engineering and Research (GEAR) Center

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

Thomas D. and Virginia W. Cabot Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at the MIT Media Lab

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

Faculty, K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics

David H. Koch (1962) Institute Professor at MIT

Jaeyong Lee is developing stable neuroprostheses and closed-loop neuromodulation.

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.

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

Christina Meyer focuses on the design and testing of variable stiffness, passive-elastic walking crutches to understand the impact of different crutch stiffnesses on gait biomechanics and walking economy when traversing flat, inclined, and declined surfaces.

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

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.

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.

Malak Nechnach’s research investigates how neural circuits in the tail of the striatum encode reward anticipation and regulate physiological and behavioral responses during reward seeking.

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.

Nina Petelina works on developing tools and identifying decarbonization opportunities through green hydrogen production innovation.