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Seven Caltech Faculty are Principal Investigators on NIH BRAIN Grants
Seven Caltech researchers are principal investigators on eight new neuroscience grants from the National Institutes of Health’s “Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies” (BRAIN) Initiative. Many of these researchers are affiliated with TCCI® including: Mikhail Shapiro, Professor of Chemical Engineering; Carlos Lois, Research Professor of Biology; Richard Andersen, James G. Boswell Professor of Neuroscience; […]
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How Do You Study Facial Bias Without Bias?
When we encounter an unfamiliar face, we tend to make snap judgments. Does the person look smart, attractive, or young? Are they trustworthy or corrupt? Neuroscientists and psychologists study how our brains form these facial biases, and how the judgments ultimately influence the way people behave. “We tend to be quite confident in the […]
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New Technology is One Step Closer to Targeted Gene Therapy
Gene therapy is a powerful developing technology that has the potential to address myriad diseases. For example, Huntington’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder, is caused by a mutation in a single gene, and if researchers could go into specific cells and correct that defect, theoretically those cells could regain normal function. A major challenge, however, […]
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Unlocking philanthropy with Chrissy Luo and Tianqiao Chen
A KPMG philanthropy case study: Collaboration and innovation to drive medical research This profile is a part of KPMG’s “Philanthropists in Action” case study series, which looks at emerging trends in the philanthropy landscape, as the Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) agenda and a desire to create social impact climb the priority list of Family […]
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A Beetle Gland Illustrates How New Organs Evolve
Organs—like the heart, brain, and kidneys—are complex structures made up of a combination of different cells that work cooperatively to perform specific functions. For example, around 70 distinct types of cells work together in the human eye to enable our visual perception. How do different types of cells evolve to cooperate like this? An […]
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2021 TCCI Holiday Newsletter
As we enter into the holiday season, we wish you and your families all the best. Last week, we had cause for great celebration as we observed the fifth anniversary of the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience at Caltech
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Challenging authority：NeuroD1 cannot induce microglia-to-neuron conversion
The central nervous system (CNS) is mainly composed of neurons and glial cells. Neurons perform the function of transmitting and integrating neural signals, while glial cells play an important role in support and nutrition. Unlike peripheral tissues and organs, neurons in the central nervous system of mammals can hardly be regenerated after adulthood. In neurodegenerative […]
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Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience at Caltech Celebrates 5th Anniversary; Launches Innovative New Program to Give Young Neuroscientists an Edge
Program equips neuroscientists with Artificial Intelligence and Data Science skills to help them interpret the vast amounts of data generated in the lab. Pasadena, Dec 6, 2021. Celebrating its five-year anniversary, the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience at Caltech today announced the creation of the Center for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AI). […]
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How to Read a Jellyfish’s Mind
The human brain has 100 billion neurons, making 100 trillion connections. Understanding the precise circuits of brain cells that orchestrate all of our day-to-day behaviors—such as moving our limbs, responding to fear and other emotions, and so on—is an incredibly complex puzzle for neuroscientists. But now, fundamental questions about the neuroscience of behavior may be […]
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Caltech Researchers Team Up to Fight Parkinson’s Disease
A team of Caltech TCCI®-affiliated researchers including Viviana Gradinaru, professor of neuroscience and biological engineering and director of the Center for Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Sarkis Mazmanian, Luis B. and Nelly Soux Professor of Microbiology and David Van Valen, assistant professor of biology and biological engineering and Heritage Medical Research Institute Investigator, among others, has […]