Columbia University's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute

07/30/2026

Where does curiosity come from? Neuroscientist Jennifer Bussell wants to know. She has discovered that mice, like us, seek out information that offers no external benefit. Her new research in Nature Neuroscience with colleagues links this desire for knowledge to certain cells in the brain's orbitofrontal cortex.

Read more at https://zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/brain-cells-signaling-value-knowledge-discovered-mice

07/29/2026

How do we create mental maps of the world? By having mice explore mazes in virtual reality, Eunji Kong, Erfan Zabeh, Attila Losonczy and co. have shed light on how the brain recognizes familiar and novel environments.

Read about their research done at Columbia University's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute in Neuron Cell

Mental Maps Linked to Density of Brain Connections in Mice
https://zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/mental-maps-linked-density-brain-connections-mice

07/29/2026

The brain’s immune cells defend against pathogens and remove damaged neurons. Now Carlos Diaz-Salazar, Franck Polleux & team find the slow way these immune cells mature may help enable our powerful cognitive abilities.

Read more in Neuron at Cell Press.

https://zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/human-brainpower-may-get-boost-immune-cells-mature-slowly

06/11/2026

What does a perfect soccer play look like to a neuroscientist? The actions we see on the field, which seem to happen one after another, actually overlap inside the player’s head, says postdoc Miguel Vivar-Lazo, PhD, of the Churchland lab at Columbia's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, a fan of James Rodríguez and the World Cup. Video created with Columbia University Irving Medical Center. ⚽ 🧠

What does a spectacular soccer play look like through the eyes of a...

05/11/2026

Hearing aids amplify all incoming sound, and so struggle with noisy surroundings. Brain-controlled hearing tech from Nima Mesgarani, Vishal Choudhari & team could lead to a new generation of hearing systems that help people single out a voice in a crowd.

From Vishal Choudhari, PhD, and the lab of Nima Mesgarani, PhD, at Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute:A new tech monitors the brain to detect who you ...

03/27/2026

How do brains change with age? By analyzing brain activity throughout the lives of mice, Itamar Kahn, Gagan Wig, Ezra Winter-Nelson & team found that the rodent’s brain ages similarly to that of a human. Studying mice could therefore be a powerful way to learn more about how our brains decline as we grow old.

https://zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/understand-how-human-brain-ages-science-reveals-new-insights-mice

03/20/2026

🧠⚙️ Saturday Science: The Human Machine

How does your brain help you think, move, learn, and adapt to the world around you?

Join us on Saturday, March 28 from 1–4 PM to explore the incredible systems that make the human brain work. Through hands-on activities and interactive demonstrations, discover how our brains form connections, power movement, and help us grow stronger over time.

Families, students, and community groups are all welcome. Come explore the science of the brain with us.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/saturday-science-the-human-machine-tickets-1982657357528?aff=oddtdtcreator

📍Jerome L. Greene Science Center

🕕 March 28 | 1–4 PM

03/18/2026

Curious about the mind and brain? Join us during and learn more about the questions our scientists are asking about the brain. Be curious with us!

https://zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/curiosity-corner-program

03/16/2026

It’s ! We are part of s an international campaign to celebrate the wonders of the mind and brain. Join us for free public events!

https://zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/brain-awareness-week-2026

03/13/2026

How do jazz musicians keep time together? How does the brain stay in sync with the rhythms of day and night?
Join us at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem featuring:

🎹 Bill Buchman – pianist and painter
🧠 Rachel Estrella – neuroscientist at Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute
🎤 Hosted by Amanda Humes

Come experience how art and neuroscience meet in the rhythm of jazz.

🗓️ March 19, 2026 | 7–8 PM
📍 National Jazz Museum in Harlem
58 W 129 St, New York, NY

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/music-on-the-brain-shades-of-time-tickets-1983344154757?aff=oddtdtcreator