MIT’s McGovern Institute is shaping brain science and improving human lives on a global scale

Cambridge, MA – For a quarter-century, MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research has stood at the forefront of neuroscience, transforming our understanding of the human mind and delivering breakthroughs that profoundly impact lives worldwide. Established in 2000 by the visionary gift of Patrick J. McGovern ’59 and Lore Harp McGovern, the Institute’s journey began with a singular, ambitious goal: to unravel the brain’s complexities and harness that knowledge for the betterment of humanity.

Twenty-five years later, the McGovern Institute is not merely a research center; it is a vibrant testament to the power of interdisciplinary collaboration, pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery and translating them into real-world solutions on a global scale.

A Vision Ignited: The Institute’s Genesis

The founding of the McGovern Institute was hailed as a “truly historic moment for MIT” by its 15th president, Charles M. Vest. He envisioned it as a cornerstone of MIT’s scientific contributions for decades to come. Nobel laureate Phillip A. Sharp was appointed as the inaugural director, guiding a pioneering group of six MIT professors — Emilio Bizzi, Martha Constantine-Paton, Ann Graybiel PhD ’71, H. Robert Horvitz ’68, Nancy Kanwisher ’80, PhD ’86, and Tomaso Poggio — who formed its founding faculty.

Construction commenced in 2003 on Building 46, a sprawling 376,000-square-foot complex that would become a hub for brain science at MIT, housing not only the McGovern Institute but also the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, creating a synergistic environment for groundbreaking research.

Decades of Discovery and Impact

Under the leadership of Robert Desimone, the Doris and Don Berkey Professor of Neuroscience, who took the helm in 2005, the McGovern Institute has flourished, attracting a distinguished roster of 22 faculty members, including Nobel laureates, Breakthrough Prize winners, and numerous members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The Institute recently celebrated its 25th anniversary on April 11, 2025, with a symposium highlighting its remarkable achievements. Desimone underscored a series of transformative discoveries that have emerged from McGovern labs:

• The development of the CRISPR genome-editing system, leading to the world’s first CRISPR gene therapy approved for humans, marking a new era in transformative medicine.
• The creation of the first prosthetic limb fully controlled by the body’s nervous system.
• A flexible probe designed to tap into critical gut-brain communication pathways.
• An innovative expansion microscopy technique, enabling nanoscale imaging in biology labs worldwide.
• Advanced computational models that illuminate fundamental aspects of human cognition, including how we see, hear, use language, and even comprehend the thoughts of others, showcasing a deep intersection with artificial intelligence research.
• Pioneering work in neuroimaging, revealing the architecture of human thought and identifying early markers for mental illness before symptom onset.

The Power of Synergy and Open Science

“At the McGovern Institute, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” states Director Robert Desimone, emphasizing the Institute’s unique collaborative culture. Many pivotal discoveries have resulted from cross-lab partnerships spanning biological engineering, human brain imaging, and artificial intelligence.

This interdisciplinary approach, drawing from more than a dozen MIT departments, integrates expertise from neurophysiology, behavior, computational analysis, neuroanatomy, and molecular biology. Such synergy fosters innovations far beyond what any single discipline could achieve alone. Furthermore, the McGovern ethos embraces open science, actively sharing newly developed technologies and collaborating with hospital partners to accelerate research into tangible clinical applications.

Nurturing the Next Generation of Brain Scientists

While hundreds of scientific papers bear the McGovern imprimatur, the true legacy lies in its people—the young researchers and the mentorship that defines the Institute’s vibrant scientific community. Professor Nancy Kanwisher, for instance, has mentored over 70 doctoral students and postdocs who now lead scientific endeavors globally. Notably, three of her former students—Evelina Fedorenko PhD ’07, Josh McDermott PhD ’06, and Rebecca Saxe PhD ’03—have returned to become esteemed colleagues at the McGovern Institute, embodying a powerful cycle of knowledge transfer and leadership.

Looking ahead, the McGovern community remains steadfast in its commitment to demystifying the brain and making a profound difference in individual lives worldwide. Co-founder Lore Harp McGovern eloquently summarizes this enduring spirit: “By promoting team science, open communication, and cross-discipline partnerships, our culture demonstrates how individual expertise can be amplified through collective effort. I am honored to be the co-founder of this incredible institution — onward to the next 25 years!”