Letter from the Director
Earlier this spring, as I grappled with a particularly challenging problem, I stepped out of my office to walk through the institute’s familiar hallways and laboratories to clear my mind. I found myself filled with curiosity about what my colleagues were working on. What problems were our students trying to solve? What sustained our early career scientists through the rigorous grind? What dreams did they chase for the one discovery that would make all the effort worthwhile?
Our scientists tackle a broad range of questions about the mind, brain and behavior, addressing some of the most pressing mysteries of the human condition. How does aggression work? What causes psychosis? How do we perceive color? What triggers memory loss? How does the brain interact with the body? These questions drive the research at our institute. We are united by our curiosity and determination to find answers, to learn and discover, and to translate our discoveries into real-world impact.
Collaboration has always been at the heart of our success. In the last year alone, our researchers co-authored more than 140 papers. We also brought colleagues from across Columbia together for symposia and lectures with our affiliate faculty program, as part of our new Local Circuits program. We spearheaded a new initiative to enhance the experiences of the more than 80 college students working in our labs. This is an opportunity to both inspire and be inspired, helping these students start their scientific journeys as well as learning from their curiosity and dedication. We also launched a new Center for Precision Psychiatry and Mental Health. Generously funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, this initiative represents a new model for collaborative research between the Zuckerman Institute and the Department of Psychiatry, focusing on understanding and treating mental illness.
While this year has been exciting, it has also been challenging. Tensions within our Columbia community and global strife have hit a deeply personal chord for many of us, myself included. This is why I am more grateful than ever for the wonder of science and the people in our community. Our shared drive to discover has provided comfort and a sense of purpose, along with many opportunities for joy and celebration.
One of my favorite authors, David Grossman, was once asked how he could keep writing after losing his son during the Israel-Lebanon war in 2006. Grossman said that for him, "writing is home." For me, and for so many of us here at the Zuckerman Institute, science is home. As we look forward to next year, we remain committed to continued discovery, to the conversations that allow the Institute to thrive in its pursuit of knowledge, and to providing a scientific home to each member of our community as we pursue discoveries that benefit all of society.
Daphna Shohamy, PhD
Director and CEO of Columbia's Zuckerman Institute
Codirector of Columbia's Kavli Institute for Brain Science
Kavli Professor of Brain Science
Have you ever wondered...
how the brain turns waves of light into experiences of color?
how the brain can discern a stranger from someone familiar?
why some mice are monogamous and their closest rodent relatives are promiscuous?
what are the effects of stress and trauma on pregnancy and brain development?
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what are the origins of aggression in the brain?
how cuttlefish camouflage themselves?
how our movements inform our learning?
how the brain stores memories of events we’ve experienced?
...so have we
Notable research breakthroughs this year
June
2023
June 20, 2023
The camouflaging dwarf cuttlefish’s skin changes color based on what it sees and feels. Tessa Montague, PhD, and colleagues in the Axel lab develop the first map of its brain’s structure, which may provide insights into how any brain is capable of representing information.
September 27, 2023
As male zebra finches focus on impressing potential mates, dopamine-releasing brain cells reflect their intentions, which could shed light on how our brains adapt to changing opportunities and priorities, according to the Gadagkar lab.
December 13, 2023
A study from the Costa lab reveals details on how the brain learns to seek reward, offering a deeper understanding of how our brains learn and adapt through trial and error.
December 20, 2023
The Lomvardas lab discovers a previously undetected mechanism in mice—starring the genetic molecule RNA—that could explain how each sensory cell in mammalian noses becomes tailored to detect a specific odor chemical.
February 20, 2024
A study from the Fusi and Siegelbaum labs reveals how the brain can identify familiar individuals and recall past experiences with them; findings could lead to key insights on disorders affecting memory.
March 6, 2024
The Sawtell lab uncovers a new collective sensing ability in elephantnose fish, expanding their perceptual range. Understanding these brain mechanisms could inspire advances in artificial sensing tech for underwater vehicles and medical imaging.
March 20, 2024
Research by Stephen Huston and colleagues shows how a fly’s brain coordinates movements based on sensory cues from the body. Understanding how the brain controls the body’s motions could expand our knowledge of diseases such as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.
March 29, 2024
Scientists in the Aronov lab find new patterns of electrical activity that may help the brain record and recall memories, not just in birds, but humans too.
May 15, 2024
The Bendesky lab discovers the cells and hormones that inspire mice to nurture their young; findings could provide insights on parenting behavior and challenges in humans.
July
2024
September 14, 2023
The Kriegeskorte lab shows that large language models remain vulnerable to mistaking nonsense for natural language, a flaw that might point toward ways to improve chatbot performance and help reveal how humans process language.
May 1, 2024
Findings from the Zuker lab uncover hidden connections between the brain and body; making use of this new brain circuit could lead to new therapies for many immune disorders.
May 16, 2024
The Behnia and Abbott labs identify brain-cell circuitry in fruit flies that converts raw sensory signals into color perceptions that can guide behavior.
Spotlight on undergrads
This year, more than 80 undergraduates joined nearly 30 of our labs. Undergraduates are a vital part of our community. The adventure of scientific research at Columbia can begin well before graduation, and the Zuckerman Institute offers firsthand experience and the chance for students to apply their learning outside the classroom.
Profiles of our people
This DJ searches for memory
Abhishek Shah is fascinated by how you can remember a single experience in your life: how your brain binds together the what, the when and the where to recall, for instance, what you had for breakfast this morning. A graduate student in the Losonczy lab, he studies how neurons talk to each other in CA1, a region in the brain’s memory center. When not in the lab, this DJ helps to run Columbia University Neuroscience Outreach’s Late Night Science outreach program and teaches a neurobiology course for undergraduates. Learn more about Abhishek and read more about our graduate students in these photo essays.
Advancing women’s health in and out of the lab
While volunteering in hospitals, Nour El Houda Mimouni, PhD, saw firsthand how women’s health issues are often overlooked. A postdoctoral research scientist in the Marlin lab, she strives to improve the health of women worldwide, with research that includes studying the most common cause of infertility and investigating the effects of stress and trauma on pregnancy. Outside the lab, she has helped guide women’s health policies as a member of the European Health Parliament. Learn more about Nour and check out our illustrated series that explores the lived experiences of people working in brain research.
Our award-winning scientists
Our scientists continue to set the bar for groundbreaking achievements in brain science. The prestigious awards won by our faculty highlight their remarkable talent and dedication, demonstrating our commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and innovation.
Larry Abbott, PhD, wins the prestigious
BRAIN Prize
When he was soon to turn 40 and enjoying a highly successful academic career in particle physics, Larry took a professional swerve that terrified him. He switched to neuroscience. This year, he was named a co-winner of one of the largest prizes in brain science for excellence in applying computational and theoretical methods to reveal principles underlying memory, movement and other areas of neuroscience. Read more.
Strengthening the ties that bind our world-class Columbia community members
An invitation to faculty collaborators
This year, we relaunched the Zuckerman Institute Affiliate Faculty program to foster interschool conversations and collaboration through shared scientific events, joint research and teaching efforts, and resource sharing across the University. Our program has already expanded to include 209 affiliates from over 40 departments and continues to grow!
Local Circuits
To highlight the remarkable talent within our affiliate program, we invite members to present their work at Local Circuits, part of our Tuesdays@10 seminar series, which is open to everyone at Columbia. We're excited to announce the launch of a new bi-annual symposium debuting in Fall 2024, designed to foster collaboration and showcase cutting-edge research.
Thanks to the generous support of Alan Kanzer, a dedicated donor and member of the Zuckerman Institute’s Brain Trust, the Zuckerman Institute welcomed four early-career scientists in Fall 2023 as part of the inaugural Kanzer Postdoctoral Fellows program. This unique program supports interdisciplinary studies in areas such as behavioral neuroscience and neurogenetics. Fellows are mentored by multiple faculty members, fostering a collaborative research environment.
With mentorship from Stefano Fusi, Daphna Shohamy, Gwyneth Card, Andres Bendesky, and Yasmine El-Shamayleh, the 2023 Kanzer Fellows—Qihong Lu, Jessica Zung, Yuta Mabuchi, and Chuyi Su—bring diverse expertise and a commitment to bridging different research disciplines.
Qihong's work focuses on computational models of human memory, while Jessica combines ecology, evolutionary biology, and neuroscience to study animal behavior. Yuta investigates the neural bases of sexual dimorphism, and Chuyi explores how cortical processing of visual information varies between alert and non-alert brain states.
These fellows not only advance their respective fields but also contribute to a vibrant academic community, embodying the spirit of interdisciplinary collaboration that the Kanzer program aims to cultivate. The program continues into the next academic year, and we look forward to welcoming our 2024 cohort of Fellows this summer.
Our year in numbers
HIGHLIGHTS
50+
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19
850+
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80+
140+
ENGAGEMENT
12
112
4300+
18
12
