Neuroscience
CSHL neuroscientists focus on understanding how neural connections in the brain translate into behavior. Their research provides insights into the circuitry underlying complex cognitive processes such as decision-making and attention, as well as developing tools to map circuit disruptions associated with neurological disorders, like Alzheimer’s disease, autism, schizophrenia and depression.
Neuroscience research at CSHL is centered on three broad themes: sensory processing, cognition, and mental disorders. Sensory processing research explores how sensory experiences, like sound, smell, and sight, are integrated with decision-making. The cognition group uses the tools of modern neuroscience (genetic, molecular, physiology and imaging) to study the neural circuitry that underlies attention, memory, and decision-making. Researchers also study cognitive disorders, defining the genetic basis of diseases like autism and schizophrenia and identifying the neural circuits that are disrupted in these disorders. In addition, there is an effort to develop new anatomical methods to improve our understanding of brain circuits, connectivity, and function.
Much of the work is highly collaborative and interdisciplinary. Many neuroscientists apply physics, math, and engineering principles to the study of cognition, including research funded by the Swartz Foundation. The Stanley Center for Cognitive Genomics integrates genetics and neuroscience to form a dual-strategy aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and other cognitive disorders.
The doctor will sniff you now
March 1, 2021
Dogs can sniff out many diseases, likely including COVID-19. CSHL scientists are developing an AI-based “Deep Nose” to mimic that diagnostic sniff.
CSHL endorses ALBA Declaration on Equity and Inclusion
January 12, 2021
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is endorsing the ALBA Declaration on Equity and Inclusion to promote equality in the field of neuroscience.
NIH BRAIN Initiative invests $9.7 million in CSHL scientists
December 29, 2020
CSHL scientists received grants to broaden our knowledge of the human brain and how to treat neurological disorders.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory: Science is hope
December 21, 2020
The Laboratory is a leading research center for genetics, cancer, plant biology, quantitative biology, and neuroscience.
Mice with too many chandelier cells lack depth perception
December 8, 2020
Chandelier cells should decrease in number as animals develop. Mice with too many cells lack depth perception.
Problems with depth perception caused by too many cells
December 7, 2020
Chandelier cells should decrease in number as animals develop. If too many remain, brain systems may not work properly.
Generous CSHL neighbor endows graduate student fellowship
November 30, 2020
Dr. Mukund Padmanabhan has donated a $1 million endowment for a fellowship in computational neuroscience at the CSHL School of Biological Sciences.
Partha Mitra: AI and brain circuits
November 30, 2020
Mitra answers audience questions about how understanding brain connections can bring medical and technological breakthroughs.
How to figure out what you don’t know
November 30, 2020
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Assistant Professor Tatiana Engel discusses how a model like Ptolemy’s seems to explain the world and yet is wrong.
LIVE at the Lab with Partha Mitra: AI and brain circuits
November 27, 2020
CSHL Professor Partha Mitra presents some challenges for neuroscientists and how artificial intelligence (AI) helps overcome them.
Patricia Churchland: Social Conscience
November 24, 2020
Patricia Churchland, founder of the field of neurophilosophy, discusses research on the origins of human morality and social bonding.
LIVE At the Lab with Patricia Churchland: Social Conscience
November 24, 2020
Scientist and philosopher Patricia Churchland discusses the evolutionary basis of morality and social bonding in humans.
Assistant Professor Cheadle named Next Generation Leader
November 19, 2020
CSHL Assistant Professor Lucas Cheadle has been named a Next Generation Leader by the Allen Institute for Brain Science.
Bo Li and Richard Sever present at “Life Science Across the Globe”
November 18, 2020
Professor Bo Li and Assistant Director of CSHL Press Richard Sever gave talks as part of the “Life Science Across the Globe” series.
Singing mice will teach us about our own conversations
November 9, 2020
Assistant Professor Arkarup Banerjee joins the neuroscience faculty, focusing on how the mind processes information and produces behaviors.
How does the brain process fear?
November 3, 2020
Though fear memories are made in the amygdala, a structure deep in the brain, lots of other brain structures participate.
NeuroAI program connects AI experts with neuroscientists
November 2, 2020
The CSHL NeuroAI program is training researchers to be fluent in neuroscience and AI to expedite the development of next-generation AI.
How to figure out what you don’t know
October 26, 2020
Sometimes, what seems like a good way to understand the world turns out to be wrong. A new machine learning tool lets scientists find better answers.
AI learns to trace neuronal pathways
September 28, 2020
A picture of the brain’s rich interconnections is emerging with the help of ever more accurate computer-aided approaches.
Fuerth wins BBRF Young Investigator Grant in neuro research
September 25, 2020
Daniel Fuerth, a postdoctoral fellow in Assistant Professor Je Lee’s lab,will study the transfer of genetic material between neurons in the brain.
The motivation center of the mouse brain in 3D
September 15, 2020
A 3D-model of the mouse brain (gray) showing the dorsal striatum (green), which includes the striosome. Model: Allen Brain Atlas
Reward and punishment take similar paths in the mouse brain
September 15, 2020
One brain structure is involved with both positive and negative reinforcement types of learning.
Immune cells sculpt circuits in the brain
September 14, 2020
Immune cells play an unexpected role in fine-tuning the brain’s neural circuits.
Stress, sleep, and immunity
September 9, 2020
Researchers found the brain circuit that connects stress-induced insomnia and the immune system in mice.
How the senses shape the brain
August 6, 2020
Neuroscientist Lucas Cheadle joins CSHL neuroscience faculty, and studies how outside stimuli affect brain development.
How to map brain connections using DNA barcodes
July 14, 2020
A new technique labels brain cells with short snippets of DNA to trace many neuronal connections at a time.
Brain receptor pulls open electrical gate like a puppet master
June 30, 2020
When stimulated by a neurotransmitter or drug, the NMDA receptor pulls open an ion gate that allows ions to flow.
How does the NMDA receptor work?
June 30, 2020
CSHL Professor Hiro Furukawa describes how the NMDA receptor opens and closes its ion channel.
How chandelier cells light up the brain
June 18, 2020
Until now, chandelier cells were largely enigmatic, but new technology makes them accessible to researchers.
What do these scientist moms do? Ask their kids.
May 8, 2020
We asked the children of three scientists to describe their mother’s work. See what they had to say.
Charting a new field of cancer neuroscience
April 16, 2020
A Banbury Center meeting of 35 experts proposes a new field to study the relationship between cancer and neuroscience.
Science of love quiz
February 14, 2020
Scientists are on the trail of finding out what makes people fall in love. Test your knowledge on the science of love.
Tatiana Engel named 2020 Sloan Fellow
February 12, 2020
Assistant Professor Tatiana Engel is named a 2020 Sloan Fellow for her work on computational models of decision-making.
Studying what connects cancer and the brain
January 28, 2020
Assistant Professor Jeremy Borniger joins the CSHL faculty to study the link between the brain and cancer.
New tool for investigating brain cells, Parkinson’s, & more
January 22, 2020
Researchers have created a new chemical tool for revealing how specific types of brain cell receptors function in the brain.
New tool for investigating brain cells, Parkinson’s, & more
January 22, 2020
Researchers have crafted a compound for targeting specific brain cell receptors, creating new opportunities to study the brain and Parkinson’s disease.
Abnormal neuron activity manifests as parental neglect
January 8, 2020
Without the gene Mecp2, mice can’t learn to care for crying pups. Knowing when the brain is able to learn may help treat developmental disorders.
How the brain balances pleasure and pain
December 31, 2019
The brain balances signals that either excite or inhibit neurons and influence the motivation of an animal to seek a reward or avoid punishment.
The difference between an expert’s brain and a novice’s
November 18, 2019
Researchers use computational models to observe how changing neural activity can help mice learn new tasks and make better decisions.
CSHL postdocs receive NARSAD Young Investigator Grants
October 30, 2019
Two CSHL neuroscience postdocs conducting neurobiological and psychiatric research received the 2019 NARSAD Young Investigators grant.
Seeking better treatment for ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease
October 29, 2019
Researchers found that ‘jumping genes’ were de-silenced in post-mortem tissue samples of ALS patients.
BARseq builds a better brain map
October 17, 2019
Created by CSHL neuroscientists, BARseq is capable of mapping connections within a brain at single-neuron resolution while tracing their gene expression.
New brain research could change how concussions are treated
October 13, 2019
Blood vessel damage seems to be more widespread than nerve damage in patients with traumatic brain injuries.
Adrian Krainer wins Zülch Prize for lifesaving SMA Treatment
October 8, 2019
Professor Adrian Krainer is awarded the K-J. Zülch Prize for the development and testing of a first-of-its-kind treatment for spinal muscular atrophy.
Mice, like humans, fidget when deep in thought
September 24, 2019
Mice seemed to fidget while making decisions, prompting neuroscientists to think more about the connection between movement and cognition.
Are smart robots a threat?
August 23, 2019
In a Q&A, Neuroscientist Anthony Zador explains how neuroscience can inform machine learning, and why he’s not worried about a robot apocalypse.
Understanding the animal brain could help robots wash your dishes
August 21, 2019
The field of machine learning still has a lot it can glean from neuroscience, especially in how evolution shapes an animal brain.
New brain map could improve AI algorithms for machine vision
August 20, 2019
A revised view of the primate visual system may serve as a future reference for understanding how vision works in humans.
How a lab and its model animals changed science
August 13, 2019
The natural history of science at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory through the lens of animal research.
Creature feature quiz
July 31, 2019
Animals have been the muses behind major scientific breakthroughs for ages. See how much you know about the living organisms sharing the Earth with us.
Of mice and model organisms
July 31, 2019
An in-depth look at how veterinarians at CSHL help take care of the various organisms that help researchers answer fundamental biological questions.
There’s more to smell than meets the nose
July 22, 2019
Neuroscience researchers work to figure out our brains process smells, including what features are essential to identifying and separating odors.
Quantifying how the brain smells
July 22, 2019
Neuroscience researchers at CSHL are trying to figure out how the brain processes smells and what features of odors are important in that process.
Interview with a neuroscientist
May 31, 2019
CSHL Professor Bo Li’s lab studies the biology behind mental disorders. Learn more about how Li’s work is changing the way we think about mental health.
Banbury meeting addresses neurotechnology concerns
March 13, 2019
A white paper written after an important Banbury Center meeting discusses the lack of oversight in direct-to-consumer neurotechnologies.
New cell subtypes classified in mouse brain
March 12, 2019
To map a brain, an intuitive system for classifying neuron types is necessary. Now, a promising approach reveals new cell subtypes in the mouse brain.
Chandelier neuron requires ‘Velcro-like’ molecule to form connections
March 4, 2019
How do brain cells network? Researchers have discovered an essential ingredient that facilitates one type of neuron’s many neighborly connections.
Detailed new primate brain atlas could lead to disease insights
March 1, 2019
An international effort has mapped the marmoset brain at an unprecedented level of detail, which brings us closer to understanding the human brain.
How does math help us understand the brain?
January 31, 2019
An exploration of how computational neuroscientist Tatiana Engel uses math to understand how the brain makes decisions.
CSHL Scientific Advisory Council member wins NAS honor
January 25, 2019
Dr. Eve Marder of the CSHL Scientific Advisory Council wins the National Academy of Sciences Award in the Neurosciences.
Targeting ‘hidden pocket’ for treatment of stroke and seizure
January 18, 2019
Researchers have identified a hidden molecular “pocket” in a special neuron receptor, which could lead to better treatments for stroke and seizures.
Austin’s Purpose donates $10k to neuroscience research
January 18, 2019
Epilepsy research-supporting organization Austin’s Purpose makes a donation to continue key neuroscience research in Professor Hiro Furukawa’s lab.
The year of CRISPR
December 26, 2018
A look at the various labs across CSHL that utilize CRISPR in their research, and the groundbreaking discoveries they help uncover.
Discussing your brain, the computing machine, with Tatiana Engel – A Cocktails and Chromosomes talk
December 5, 2018
Dr. Tatiana Engel explains why scientists study optical illusions, how learning configures the computing machine that is your brain, and more.
How the brain hears and fears
December 5, 2018
Researchers are studying how the brain reacts to sounds that it associates with fear, and how easy it is for the brain to learn and unlearn.
From many mice, unexpected genius
November 2, 2018
A massive study of mouse behavior has revealed that some individual animals are far more clever than studying only a small group might imply.
From many mice, unexpected genius
October 31, 2018
Researchers find that some individual mice are smarter than their fellow rodents, which can provide insights into decision-making.
What’s that smell? Neuroscientists are figuring it out
October 2, 2018
Neuroscientists Florin Albeanu and Alexei Koulakov win the NIH Director’s Transformative Research Award for their project on the olfactory system.
Computational neuroscientist wins BRAIN grant
September 27, 2018
Assistant Professor Tatiana Engel earns grant to build tools that will help build better models of the brain
Path to cancer in the brain set by protein CHD5
September 14, 2018
Researchers find that protein keeps neural stem cells from activating too soon and hindering brain development
The miracle of brain development
August 16, 2018
In a series of 8 stunning images, CSHL scientists enable us to share the miracle of a brain as it self-assembles
One experiment: Building a brain
August 16, 2018
A genetic program precisely guides development of a part of the brain
Dr. Zador wins Transformative Investigator award
August 8, 2018
CSHL professor Anthony Zador wins Gill Symposium prize for his innovative work on MAPseq
CSHL spinoff wins investment prize
June 29, 2018
CSHL spinoff company MapNeuro Inc., which uses tech developed in Zador lab, wins 2018 Seed Capital Prize from Alexandria LaunchLabs
Postdoc wins Indian National Science Academy prize
June 25, 2018
Dhananjay Huilgol, a postdoc in Professor Joshua Huang’s lab, wins one of India’s highest honors for young investigators
Discussing sex differences and your brain with Jessica Tollkuhn–A Cocktails and Chromosomes talk
June 20, 2018
Mars & Venus? Not quite. Jessica Tollkuhn, was at Six Harbors Brewing Company to discuss how sex differences in the brain may alter how we behave.
A better way to trace neuronal pathways
June 6, 2018
Researchers have improved a key method used to map circuits in the brain
Scientists show how brain circuit generates anxiety
May 29, 2018
Researchers have identified a circuit in the brain that drives anxiety
Nature’s masterpiece: the brain
May 11, 2018
A message from President and CEO Dr. Bruce Stillman from the Spring 2018 Harbor Transcript on the innovative research happening at CSHL
Portrait of a Neuroscience Powerhouse
April 27, 2018
A relatively small neuroscience group at CSHL is having an outsized impact on a dynamic and highly competitive field
Revolutionary brain mapping: hundreds of neurons tracked in a week
March 29, 2018
Researchers used MAPseq, a revolutionary brain mapping method, to make a discovery that will force neuroscientists to rethink how areas of the cortex.
Revolutionary brain-mapping technique provides new blueprint for cortical connections
March 28, 2018
Researchers used MAPseq, a revolutionary brain mapping method, to make a discovery that will force neuroscientists to rethink how areas of the cortex
CSHL’s Bo Li receives BRAIN Initiative funding
December 28, 2017
CSHL Professor Bo Li and two collaborators at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) have been awarded a new grant under the BRAIN Initiative
Dr. Anne Churchland honored with Marshall Award for promoting women in science
December 11, 2017
Associate Professor Anne Churchland was honored with The Louise Hanson Marshall Special Recognition Award.
One experiment: A beautiful brain, neuron by neuron
November 22, 2017
Associate Professor Pavel Osten and colleagues discovered using their qBrain method is discerned by probing hidden relations among the dots.
Additional brain power
November 21, 2017
For neuroscientists, the brain presents an almost endless number of mysteries to be solved.
Watch a baby neuron crawl its way along a brain
November 2, 2017
"Adult neurogenesis" is the process in which new neurons replace old. But how do newborn neurons reach the part of the brain they need to rebuild?
Fantastic journey: how newborn neurons find their proper place in the brain
November 2, 2017
Neuroscientists have clarified the mechanism used by newly born neurons in mice to migrate to very specific areas.
For brain cells, you are who you speak to
October 31, 2017
Tracking a person entails searching through their email, phone, and other means of communication to map out their network. To do this for a brain cell
A Halloween treat: The neuroscience of fear
October 31, 2017
Halloween: It's that time of the year when getting scared is festive! But how does fear work?
New leadership roles in BRAIN Initiative and International Brain Lab reflect CSHL’s excellence in neuroscience
October 24, 2017
The BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network establishes a Center and a Collaboratory for the Mouse Brain Cell Atlas at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Research revises our knowledge of how the brain learns to fear
October 23, 2017
A team at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory led by Professor Bo Li found evidence indicating the central amygdala is key to to aversive learning.
Brain cell types are defined by gene activity that shapes their communication patterns
October 20, 2017
CSHL researchers have identified key families of genes in neurons which drive communication.
First cell-type census of mouse brains: surprises about structure, male-female differences
October 5, 2017
A multiyear project in the Brain Initiative, qBrain is already revealing the brain as never before.
Do neuroscientists need to switch gears to understand how brains make choices?
October 2, 2017
Associate Professor Anne Churchland, co-founder the IBL along with Professor Tony Zador, explains how it could help solve a problem in neuroscience.
Neuron types in the brain are defined by gene activity that shapes their communication patterns
September 21, 2017
Neurons are defined by determining which cells they connect with and how they communicate across synapses
Research reveals “exquisite selectivity” of neuronal wiring in the cerebral cortex
August 21, 2017
Inhibitory chandelier cells receive and transmit information from different ensembles of excitatory cells in their cortical neighborhood.
CSHL’s Kepecs receives BRAIN Initiative grant to develop tools to guide behavioral research
August 1, 2017
Dr. Adam Kepecs receives grant to develop conceptual infrastructure for behavioral neuroscience research
Mouse masculinization traced to estrogen receptor in inhibitory neurons
July 27, 2017
What makes a male animal act "male?"
Barcoding the brain
July 21, 2017
Is it possible to map the brain using barcodes? Justus Kebschull, a graduate from WSBS, talks about his work within neuroscientist Tony Zador's lab.

Dinu Florin Albeanu
How does the brain encode stimuli from the outside world to give rise to perceptions? What does a smell look like in the brain? The focus of my group is to understand how neural circuits compute sensory-motor transformations across different contexts, senses, and brain states to generate meaningful behaviors.

Arkarup Banerjee
During a conversation, our brain must interpret what we hear and control our vocal response. How does the brain transform these auditory sensations into action? My laboratory uses singing mice as a model system to investigate the neural circuits in the brain that underlie vocal communication in mammals.

Jeremy C. Borniger
Patients with cancer frequently experience debilitating symptoms that can impair quality of life and reduce odds of survival. These include drastic changes in appetite, sleep/wake cycles, cognitive function, and pain, among others. Our lab aims to uncover mechanistic interactions between the brain and cancer that drive these phenomena. Reciprocally, we investigate how manipulation of specific brain circuits influences cancer processes in the body.

Lucas Cheadle
The trillions of connections between brain cells enable complex thought and behavior. These connections are wired with great precision through both genetics and in response to an organism’s experiences. Our lab seeks to understand how experiences engage specialized immune cells called microglia to shape the connectivity and function of the brain. We are further interested in how impairments in these processes can contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.

Tatiana Engel
My lab investigates how perception and cognition arise from changes in neural activity. We develop and apply computational methods to discover dynamic patterns in large-scale neural activity recordings. We then create mathematical models to explain how these activity changes emerge from signaling between neurons, ultimately driving behavior.

Hiro Furukawa
The nervous system transmits information by passing chemical signals from one nerve cell to the others. This signal transmission relies on a variety of proteins to receive and transmit the chemical signals. My group studies the structure and function of neurotransmitter receptors and ion channels that regulate fundamental neuronal activities.

Alexei Koulakov
The complexity of the mammalian brain challenges our ability to explain it. My group applies methods from mathematics and theoretical physics to understand the brain. We are generating novel ideas about neural computation and brain development, including how neurons process information, how brain networks assemble during development, and how brain architecture evolved to facilitate its function.

Bo Li
My group studies the neural circuits underlying cognitive function and dysfunction as they relate to anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and autism. We use sophisticated technologies to manipulate specific neural circuits in the rodent brain to determine their role in behavior. We are interested in changes in synaptic strength that may underlie mental disorders.

Partha Mitra
A theoretical physicist by training, my research is centered around intelligent machines. I do both theoretical and experimental work. The theoretical work is focussed on analyzing distributed/networked algorithms in the context of control theory and machine learning, using tools from statistical physics. My lab is involved in brain-wide mesoscale circuit mapping in the Mouse as well as in the Marmoset. An organizing idea behind my research is that there may be common underlying mathematical principles that constrain evolved biological systems and human-engineered systems.

Pavel Osten
To understand what’s going wrong in illnesses like autism and schizophrenia, we need to know more about how neural circuits are connected in the healthy brain. We’ve developed advanced imaging methods to draw the first whole-brain activation map in the mouse. Now we’re applying that technology to study changes in brain activity in mice whose behavior models human autism and schizophrenia.

Stephen Shea
When confronted with another individual, social animals use multiple sensory inputs smells, sounds, sights, tastes, touches to choose an appropriate behavioral response. My group studies how specific brain circuits support these natural communication behaviors and how disruptions in these circuits can lead to inappropriate use of social information, as in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Jessica Tollkuhn
I am interested in how transient events during development program neurons to take on a specific identity and function. More specifically, I am studying how estrogen and testosterone generate sex differences in the brain and behavior.

Linda Van Aelst
Normal cell function relies on coordinated communication between all the different parts of the cell. These communication signals control what a cell does, what shape it takes, and how it interacts with other cells. I study these signaling networks to understand how they guard against cancer and neurological disorders.

Anthony Zador
My lab studies how circuitry in the brain gives rise to complex behaviors, one of nature’s great mysteries. We study how the auditory cortex processes sound, and how this is interrupted in autism. We also seek to obtain a wiring diagram of the mouse brain at the resolution of individual neurons. Our unusual approach exploits cheap and rapid “next-gen” gene sequencing technology.