Research

The Michigan Neuroscience Institute (MNI) is committed to advancing our understanding of the nervous system across multiple levels of organization, from molecules and cells to circuits and behavior. Solving the many puzzles of the brain requires interdisciplinary approaches, which are central to the success of the MNI. Working together across disciplines, MNI researchers are seeking the biological causes of brain disorders and paving the way to their prevention and treatment.

The MNI research portfolio can be divided into the following categories:

• Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience – the study of how neurons, neural pathways, and neural circuits interact to guide both adaptive and maladaptive behaviors.
• Cognitive Neuroscience – the study of the neural mechanisms that underlie cognitive processes, including learning and memory.  
• Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience – the study of the brain at its most fundamental cellular and molecular level, including the mechanisms that promote synaptic formation and neuronal communication.
• Clinical Neuroscience – the study of the mechanisms that underlie diseases and disorders of the brain and central nervous system, including neurodegenerative, psychiatric, and neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Developmental Neuroscience – the study of the development of the nervous system and how dysfunction of the underlying processes contributes to pathology.
• Sensory Neuroscience – the study of how the brain encodes and processes information related to the sensory systems, including vision, hearing, olfaction and taste.
• Computational Neuroscience – the use of mathematical and computational models to uncover the principles that govern brain function and dysfunction.