Mortimer B. Zuckerman Institute

**About Us** We bring together an extraordinary group of researchers from across Columbia University, in a state-of-the-art facility, to transform our understanding of the brain and mind. Motor neurons in nervous system of a mouse (Credit: Columbia's Zuckerman Institute) The future in mind At Columbia's Zuckerman Institute, we believe that a deeper understanding of the brain and mind has the power to transform science and society. **Our Vision** A place cell (cyan) and its local circuit of interneurons (dark blue) in a mouse hippocampus. (Credit: Tristan Geiller / Losonczy lab / Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute) The Future in Mind At Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute, our mission is to decipher the brain. We believe that understanding how the brain works — and gives rise to mind and behavior — is the most urgent and exciting challenge of our time. Our passionate group of researchers is exploring how the brain develops, performs, endures and recovers to gain critical insights into human health and behavior for the benefit of people and societies everywhere. Because the brain and mind are central to the human experience — shaping not only our thoughts and feelings, but also our motivations and actions — the potential for discovery is staggering. A deeper, more intricate knowledge of the brain will accelerate efforts to design effective treatments for brain-related disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, as well as depression and autism. Early-stage research is the foundation of this knowledge — and a critical first step on the path to cures. Beyond advancements in medicine, greater insight into creativity, decision-making, perception and language will enrich and ultimately transform a wide range of endeavors — from computer science and the arts, to economics, law and social policy. To meet this pivotal challenge, we have assembled a team of world-class neuroscientists, engineers, statisticians, psychologists and other scholars from across Columbia University. Our shared culture of creativity, which extends to our commitment to educate and inspire future generations of scientists and innovators, is brought to life in the Jerome L. Greene Science Center — a state-of-the-art facility, purpose-built to spark interaction and the collision of minds. We are driven to make new discoveries, to pioneer new techniques, and to develop new ideas that move science and humanity forward.