Seeing The Unseen Brain

The Center for Neurotechnology and Behavior at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai employs revolutionary technologies to improve how we understand the brain. Where once we could only glimpse at neural activity, we now implement tools that reveal the intricate workings of neural circuits with clarity. Multiphoton microscopy peers deep into brain tissues with minimal damage, visualizing neurons that were once invisible. Miniaturized cameras allow us to capture neural activity in freely moving animals, revealing natural brain function without restraints. Through photonic chemistry, we have created optical biosensors that can detect the release of neuromodulators in living brains—tracking chemical messengers central to mood and cognition. These are just a few of the approaches our scientists use to understand and treat complex neurological and psychiatric disorders.

At the heart of the Center is a collaborative approach that brings together experts across multiple disciplines. Our faculty members work in concert across five key technological domains—imaging, electrophysiology, genetics, circuit manipulation, and behavioral research—to study neural circuits involved in addiction, anxiety, depression, and Alzheimer's disease. This integration of technology with cross-disciplinary expertise drives discoveries that reach beyond the laboratory.

Our Team

Abha K Rajbhandari, PhD
Abha K Rajbhandari, PhD

Assistant Professor | Psychiatry

Deanna L Benson, PhD
Deanna L Benson, PhD

Professor | Neuroscience

Denise Cai, PhD
Denise Cai, PhD

Associate Professor | Neuroscience

George W Huntley, PhD
George W Huntley, PhD

Professor | Neuroscience

Eric J Nestler, MD, PhD
Eric J Nestler, MD, PhD

Interim Dean, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Hala Nicolas, PhD
Hala Nicolas, PhD

Associate Professor | Psychiatry

Hirofumi Morishita, MD, PhD
Hirofumi Morishita, MD, PhD

Professor | Psychiatry

Ian S Maze, PhD
Ian S Maze, PhD

Professor | Neuroscience

Paul J Kenny, PhD
Paul J Kenny, PhD

Ward-Coleman Professor and Chair of the Nash Family Department of Neuroscience

Paul Slesinger, PhD
Paul Slesinger, PhD

Lillian and Henry M. Stratton Professor of Neuroscience; Director, Center for Neurotechnology and Behavior; Vice Chair, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience at Mount Sinai

Peter H Rudebeck, PhD
Peter H Rudebeck, PhD

Professor | Neuroscience

Roger Clem, PhD
Roger Clem, PhD

Professor | Neuroscience

Sarah A Stanley, MBBCh, PhD
Sarah A Stanley, MBBCh, PhD

Associate Professor | Medicine, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease

Scott J Russo, PhD
Scott J Russo, PhD

Professor | Neuroscience

Tristan Shuman, PhD
Tristan Shuman, PhD

Associate Professor | Neuroscience

Xiaoting Wu, PhD
Xiaoting Wu, PhD

Assistant Professor | Neuroscience

Yasmin Hurd, PhD
Yasmin Hurd, PhD

Director, Addiction Institute at Mount Sinai

Zheng Wu, PhD
Zheng Wu, PhD

Assistant Professor | Neuroscience

Jinye Dai, PhD
Jinye Dai, PhD

Assistant Professor | Pharmacological Sciences

Happening Now

Follow Friedman Brain Institute

Contact Us