Columbia's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute

🌠 We're thrilled to announce our latest Hypothesis Fund awardees and their groundbreaking projects! From optimizing enzymes, to protein sequencing, and membrane 'functional hotspots', each of these projects holds the potential to be transformative for diverse fields of science! 🌟 By introducing new 'building blocks' to protein synthesis, Awardee Ahmed Badran aims to discover new functions in a key enzyme in photosynthesis, RuBisCO. His work may be key to combatting #climatechange 🌎. 🌟 Awardee Chi-Min Ho tackles the complex challenges of protein sequencing by leveraging molecular machinery made by microbes. Her work could revolutionize how we study protein function and structure, and our understanding of biology. 🌟 With a 'molecular scalpel' to 'biopsy' membrane sites where cells and organoids make contact, Awardee moitrayee bhattacharyya's research may reveal new insights into cellular processes and the development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as ALS.
 Recognition to Hypothesis Fund Scouts Yamuna Krishnan and Ellen Yeh for recommending these innovative research projects! Learn more about all of our awardees and their projects: bit.ly/HFAwardees.

Aaron Judge is now the first New York Yankees in history to hit four home runs in the first three games of a season. How does he do it? How does the brain control movement? Learn more about the brain science of baseball with neuroscientist Daniel Wolpert: https://lnkd.in/euvBrghT

Exploring Minds is a three-day event series exploring cognitive differences. We'll explore the unique ways that people imagine and perceive the world. Panel discussions, a jazz concert, Q&As, and more. In-person and hybrid events. With the generous support of the Campus Collaborative Fund for Students and Student Organizations and Wallach Art Gallery. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eGd-VR-k

Teaching incarcerated students is much like teaching any students, write Columbia University scientists Tessa Montague and Shai Berman. Learn more about their experience teaching neuroscience at Sing Sing on Nature Magazine: https://lnkd.in/equTsmTf

Calling all NYC middle and high school educators! Register now for BrainSTEM In Action to explore the neuroscience of anxiety in STEM learning, especially math and test-taking. Join us on Thursday, June 5, 2025 at Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute for a day of professional development. Educators will have the option to engage in observational and experiential activities including a behind the scenes fMRI lab tour and custom lesson material creation. This program is open to all classroom educational staff in the New York City area who work directly with students, including all teachers and teaching assistants/paraprofessionals. There is no cost to attend this program, so register by April 1st at https://bit.ly/bia-2025 

Join us tomorrow for our next Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Brain Insight Lecture: Advancing Mental Health Care for All. Featuring Steven A. Kushner, MD, PhD; Adrian Jacques H. Ambrose, MD, MPH, MBA, FAPA; moderated by Briana Chen, PhD. March 18th, 6:30 pm (EST). Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/eQj4eagM

For decades, government funding “has positioned the United States as a global leader” in science, says scientist Tom Maniatis of Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute and the New York Genome Center. He highlights how a new National Institutes of Health policy cutting money for research “jeopardizes” this, in Cell Press: https://lnkd.in/e829EjcV See our related animation on these NIH funds: https://lnkd.in/e4iWAgGT

🎷🧠 Music on the Brain: Jazz, Birds, and the Brain 🎶🐦 Join us Thursday, March 20, from 7-8 PM at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem for an evening of live jazz and neuroscience! Discover the fascinating connections between songbirds, language, and jazz improvisation with saxophonist Patience Higgins, neuroscientist Dr. George Ordiway, and Harlem jazz tour guide Amanda Humes. ✨ Live music, engaging discussion, and brainy insights await! 📍 Location: The National Jazz Museum in Harlem 🎟️ RSVP now: bit.ly/MotBMarch #MusicOnTheBrain #JazzAndNeuroscience #HarlemJazz

By studying songbirds, our own Vikram Gadagkar, Kimberly Stachenfeld, Jon Kasdin and colleagues have for the first time witnessed the role that the brain’s reward machinery plays as the brain naturally learns over time through practice. Read more! https://lnkd.in/ek4eNXWQ #neuroscience #learning

Calling all NYC middle and high school educators! Register now for BrainSTEM In Action to explore the neuroscience of anxiety in STEM learning, especially math and test-taking. Join us on Thursday, June 5 for a day of professional development. Educators will engage in observational and experiential activities including a behind the scenes lab tour and custom lesson material creation. This program is open to all classroom educational staff in the New York City area who work directly with students, including all teachers and teaching assistants/paraprofessionals. There is no cost to attend this program. Please register by April 1st at https://bit.ly/bia-2025