Neuroscience Research | Icahn School of Medicine

DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES

Nash Family Department of Neuroscience

The Nash Family Department of Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is home to numerous research centers, institutes, and labs that develop some of the greatest insights into the human brain and its pathological states. Several of our research hubs are funded by program grants from government agencies such as the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the National Institute on Aging. We are renowned for our highly collaborative, experience-driven research environment that gives students, postdocs, fellows, and faculty ample opportunities to drive unprecedented progress in neuroscience.

About Animal Research

At Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, we support the responsible and ethical use of animals in research, which is necessary to achieve a greater understanding of biological process in health and disease and to discover new treatments for chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Animal research plays a vital role in scientific breakthroughs and is an essential part of virtually every medical discovery and the development of virtually every new medical treatment over the past 100 years.

The topic of animal research is an important one. Laboratory animals are living creatures that deserve to be treated with respect, care, and compassion. This belief is shared by our scientists who adhere to thorough and stringent laws, regulations, and established practices in place to ensure the welfare of research animals. Animals provide irreplaceable and invaluable models for human systems and continue to play a crucial part in medical and scientific research aimed at conquering the main diseases of our time, including Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, diabetes, depression, drug addiction, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, and psychosis, among many others.

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Discover Our Research Centers and Programs

Advanced Neuroimaging Research Program

Novel imaging technologies and their application for a wide range of diseases.

Alper Center for Neural Development and Regeneration

Learn about genetic diseases and develop innovative treatments.

Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center

Improve diagnosis and enhance well-being of Alzheimer's patients.

Brain and Body Research Center

Exploring how the brain controls peripheral diseases and vice versa to better understand how the brain and body interact during multiples types of conditions.

Brain Injury Research Center

Cutting-edge solutions for traumatic brain injury patients.

Center for Advanced Circuit Therapeutics

Innovative research strategies to advance the use of deep brain stimulation.

Center for Affective Neuroscience

Understand the biological foundations of behavior.

Center for Cognitive Neuroscience

Understand the neural circuit mechanisms of higher cognitive function.

Center for Computational Neuroscience

Employing mathematical models, theoretical analysis, and abstractions of the brain to understand the principles that govern its development, physiology, cognitive abilities, and contributions to behavior.

Center for Computational Psychiatry

Linking brain mechanisms to behavior using algorithms, behavioral testing, and neuroimaging.

Center for Disease Neurogenomics

Expanding our knowledge of the genetic, cellular, and molecular processes that contribute to neuropsychiatric diseases.

Center for Engineering and Precision Medicine

Using engineering to understanding biomedical phenomena and developing the next generation of precision diagnostics and therapeutics.

Center for Glial Biology

Multidisciplinary research dedicated to the study of glial cell development.

Center for Molecular Integrative Neuroresilience

Understand the mechanism of action of certain botanical dietary supplements.

Center for Neural Epigenome Engineering

Therapeutically manipulate neuroepigenetic phenomena contributing to disease.

Center for Neurotechnology & Behavior

Dissect and analyze neural circuits in new, novel ways.

Center for Parkinson’s Disease Neurobiology

Integrating basic and clinical Parkinson’s Disease research to build interdepartmental and core facility collaborations.

Depression and Anxiety Center

Study and treatment of depression, anxiety, and related disorders.

Genetics of Alcoholism

Understand the molecular basis of alcoholism.

Glickenhaus Center for Successful Aging

Studying the molecular, cellular, and functional changes that occur in the brain during aging, their mechanisms, and their behavioral consequences.

Jeff and Lisa Blau Adolescent Consultation Center for Resilience and Treatment

A clinical and research platform that aims to increase our understanding of mental illness.

Light and Health Research Center

Pioneering new insights into the well-being of people through the science of light.

Mark Lebwohl Center for Neuroinflammation and Sensation

Bridging clinical and scientific excellence across dermatology, immunology, and neuroscience.

Molecular Neurobiology of Drug Addiction

Understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of stimulant addiction.

Mount Sinai Center for Transformative Disease Modeling

Developing novel insights on critical biological networks

Mount Sinai Epilepsy Program

Working to improve treatment options for epilepsy and to advance our understanding of the brain mechanisms that cause the disease.

Neuropsychoimaging of Addiction

Study of substance use disorders and common comorbid problem behaviors.

Neurosurgery Simulation Core

Improve outcomes and reduce complications in brain surgery patients.

Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's

Develop treatment using genomics, neurobiology, and stem cell engineering.

Seaver Autism Center for Research

Identify the causes of autism and advance effective treatments.

Sinai BioDesign

Empowering physicians and researchers to bring their ideas to life

Strauss Movement Disorders Center

Tailor movement disorder treatments based on genetic and other biologic markers.

The Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research

Examining the therapeutic potential of psychedelic compounds for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related symptoms.

Explore Our Labs

We have more than 38 different labs, each run by a member of our world-class teaching faculty with its investigative team and individualized research projects.

Akbarian Laboratory
Exploration of epigenetic regulation of the human brain

Benson Laboratory
Investigating mechanisms required to generate normal functioning neural circuits

Blanchard Laboratory
Understanding genetic and environmental vulnerability for neurodegeneration

Bond Laboratory
Revealing the Endogenous Regenerative Capacity of the Brain

Cai (Denise) Laboratory
Understanding the temporal dynamics of learning and memory

Castellano Laboratory
Understanding pathways connecting the systemic environment to brain function

Clem Laboratory
Identifying the impact of associative fear conditioning on neural pathways and neurons in limbic and cortical regions

Cropper Laboratory
Studying the neural basis of forms of behavioral plasticity that are due to changes in the internal state of an organism

Dai Laboratory
Discerning synaptic physiological mechanisms of stress coping

Ellis-Davies Laboratory
Exploring optical methods and neurophysiology

Enamorado Laboratory
Our laboratory focused on understanding the neuroimmune regulation of tissue injury and repair

Friedel Laboratory
Understanding the molecular machinery that drives proliferation, invasiveness, and therapy resistance of brain tumor cells

Goate Laboratory
Understanding the molecular basis of dementia and addiction

Goldstein Laboratory
Studying the neurobiology of substance use disorders and common comorbid problem behaviors and psychopathologies

Haghighi Laboratory
Studying how environmental signals and insults are interpreted by our cells using epigenetics

Hof Laboratory
Studying of selective neuronal vulnerability in dementing illnesses

Huntley Laboratory
Researching synaptic circuit development and neural plasticity

Hurd Laboratory
Studying the neurobiology of underlying drug abuse and related psychiatric dysfunction

Hu (Hongzhen) Laboratory
Studying the underlying mechanisms that encode distinct sensory modalities in both the skin and visceral organs under both physiological and pathological conditions

Kenny Laboratory
Analyzing human genetic variation to address fundamental questions in biology, medicine, and anthropology

Marro Laboratory
Researching synaptic plasticity and its dysfunction in Fragile X syndrome, the number-one genetic cause of autism

Mayberg Laboratory
Advancing precision neurosurgical treatments for complex neuropsychiatric disorders

Maze Laboratory
Understanding the complex interplay between chromatin regulatory mechanisms and neuronal plasticity

Mobbs Laboratory
Researching the role of aging in obesity, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease

Nestler Laboratory
Studying molecular mechanisms of addiction and depression

O'Loughlin Laboratory
Understanding the gene- and nutrient-gene interaction landscapes of cellular metabolism

Panagiotakos Laboratory
Building a rigorous mechanistic understanding of mammalian brain development

Raj Laboratory
Focusing on mechanisms underlying the regulation of gene expression and how mechanisms are disrupted in neurodegenerative diseases

Rich Laboratory
Understanding the links between the emergent structure and dynamics of neural activity and advanced cognition

Rudebeck Laboratory
Exploring interactions between the prefrontal cortex and subcortical structures, related to emotional regulation and decision making

Russo Laboratory
Researching neuroplasticity and behavior

Saez Laboratory
Investigating the neurophysiological and computational basis of human behavior using intracranial recordings in human patients

Salton Laboratory
Investigating how neurotrophic growth factors regulate nervous system development and function

Schaefer Laboratory
Identifying the epigenetic basis of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders

Schaffer Laboratory
Focusing on understanding the computational principles behind broadly distributed signals in the brain, how neural representations change due to ongoing learning, and how neural computation is impacted by psychiatric disorders

Schiller Laboratory
Discovering neural mechanisms underlying emotion and social cognition in the human brain

Shen Laboratory
Performing statistical and integrated analysis of molecular mechanisms of drug addiction and depression

Shuman Laboratory
Finding causal circuit mechanisms that lead to seizures and cognitive deficits in epilepsy

Slesinger Laboratory
Focusing on the function of neural circuits in both normal and diseased states

Sweis Laboratory
Dissecting circuits underlying how the brain makes complex decisions in health and disease by applying principles in neuroeconomics translated across species

Varghese Laboratory
Quantifying protein and metabolic changes within spatial, cellular, and subcellular context in the brain

Victor Laboratory
To study neuronal network assembly, remodeling and degeneration, our group leverages genetic and molecular tools to observe, record, and manipulate neuronal activity while deriving stem-cell based models of the human brain

Wu (Herbert) Laboratory
Understanding how we respond to sensory stimuli using mouse social and cognitive behaviors

Wu (Xiaoting) Laboratory
Investigating the neural mechanisms of social cognition

Yang Laboratory
Understanding genetic and epigenetic programs that control the development of distinct cell types

Zou Laboratory
Researching molecular mechanisms of how neurons are born, how they extend axons, and why they fail to regenerate after central nervous system injuries

We Are Shaping Tomorrow

Decoding Depression: Researchers Identify Crucial Biomarker That Tracks Recovery From Treatment-Resistant Depression

Learn more about Dr. Mayberg’s research

Stem Cell Model Unravels the Biology Behind Psychiatric Disorders

Learn more about Nan Yang's research

Neuroscientist Yasmin Hurd is warning about the dangers of cannabis on the developing brain

Learn more in Science.

Denise Cai, PhD | Cai Laboratory

Understanding how memories are stably stored and flexibly updated across time and experience.

Ignacio Saez, PhD | The Saez Laboratory

Seeking a more complete characterization of the neurobiological basis of human decision-making behavior that will allow development of novel neurotherapeutical approaches for psychiatric conditions.

Mount Sinai Study Shows That Circulating Immune Cells Drawn to the Brain During Stress Can Control Emotional Behaviors