Carney Institute for Brain Science
Former name
Brown Institute for Brain Science (2009-2018)
Established2009; 15 years ago (2009)
Field of research
Neuroscience
DirectorDiane Lipscombe
Address164 Angell St, Providence RI
LocationProvidence, Rhode Island
CampusBrown University

41°49′42″N 71°24′04″W / 41.82834°N 71.40099°W / 41.82834; -71.40099The Robert J. & Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science is a cross-departamental neuroscience research institute at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.[1][2] The institute's core focus areas include brain-computer interfaces and computational neuroscience The institute also focuses on research into mechanisms of cell death with the interest of developing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.[3][4]

History

Developing from a Burroughs Wellcome Fund grant for graduate research, the program was inaugurated in 2009 as the Brown Institute for Brain Science. In 2018, the center was renamed the Robert J. & Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science in recognition of a $100 million gift.[2][3] The donation—one of the largest in the university's history—established the program as one of the best-endowed university neuroscience programs in the country.[1]

Until 2019, the Carney Institute's offices were located at 2 Stimson Avenue

In 2019, the institute moved from 2 Stimson Avenue to a renovated office on Thayer Street.[5][6]

Centers

The Carney Institute houses seven research centers led by affiliated faculty members. These are the Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research, Center for Computational Brain Science, Center for the Neurobiology of Cells and Circuits, Center for Translational Neuroscience, Center for Vision Research, COBRE Center for Central Nervous System Function, and COBRE Center for Neuromodulation.[7]

In 2021, Brown established the Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research, a research program housed within the Carney Institute.[8] Financed by two gifts totaling $30 million, the center plans to conduct clinical and laboratory-based research focusing on the early detection and treatment of Alzheimer's and related conditions. The Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research is affiliated with the Brown University School of Public Health and local hospitals and has partnerships with Lund University and the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.[9]

Research

The Carney Institute is best known for its role in BrainGate, a brain-computer interface technology developed, in part, by Institute founder John Donoghue and affiliated professor Leigh Hochberg.[1] In 2014, the lab of Carney–affiliate Arto Nurmikko developed the Brown Wireless Device, a wireless brain-sensing system.[10] In 2021 Hochberg and Nurmikko used the device to demonstrate the first human use of high-bandwidth brain-computer interface. The device is capable of transmitting neural signals at a single-neuron resolution in full broadband fidelity.[11][12]

In 2019, the institute reported the discovery of a previously unknown set of neurons that spikes rhythmically at gamma range intervals, coordinating sensory encoding in a way analogous to a metronome.[13][14]

People

Affiliated faculty

References

  1. ^ a b c Renken, Elena (May 24, 2019). "Brain science blooms at Brown". Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Lockwood, Jacob (April 18, 2018). "$100 million gift to bolster brain science research". Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Miller, G. Wayne. "Brown University gets $100M gift for neuroscience institute". providencejournal.com. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  4. ^ Mukhi, Ashna (October 2, 2013). "U. looks to expand research in computational neuroscience". Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  5. ^ Zhang, Auria (April 10, 2019). "Carney Institute settles in above Brown bookstore". Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  6. ^ Jacobson, Tyler (March 20, 2019). "Swearer Center for Public Service to move to Stimson Avenue". Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  7. ^ "Center Directors | Carney Institute for Brain Science | Brown University". www.brown.edu. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  8. ^ NEWS, BARBARA MORSE, NBC 10 (April 30, 2021). "Brown University opens new center for Alzheimer's Disease research". WJAR. Retrieved July 10, 2021.((cite web)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Vulakh, Gabriella (May 19, 2021). "Brown's new Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research to expand studies on prevention, treatment methods". Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  10. ^ December 4; Orenstein 401-863-1862, 2014 Media contact: David. "Wireless brain sensor could unchain neuroscience from cables". news.brown.edu. Retrieved July 10, 2021.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ "Scientists connect human brain to computer wirelessly for first time ever". The Independent. April 2, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  12. ^ "BrainGate: High-bandwidth wireless brain-computer interface for humans". ScienceDaily. April 1, 2021. Archived from the original on April 1, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  13. ^ Kwon, Diana. ""Metronome" Neurons Act like Timekeepers in Mouse Brains". Scientific American. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  14. ^ "Neuroscientists discover neuron type that acts as brain's metronome: By keeping the brain in sync, these long-hypothesized but never-found neurons help rodents to detect subtle sensations". ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  15. ^ Borowski, Kyle (April 6, 2016). "Lipscombe to direct Brain Institute". Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
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