Director's Message
July 1, 2009
It is with great humility that I assume the position of director of the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory. Under the stewardship of founder Susumu Tonegawa and Mark Bear, who stepped down July 1 after more than two years as director, the Picower Institute has made contributions at the forefront of understanding the mechanisms underlying memory formation at the molecular, cellular, circuit and systems levels and has established itself as the leading institute in neuroscience research.
The Picower Institute was founded in 1994 with the goal of providing a world-class environment for research and education in neuroscience, focusing on learning and memory. The institute aims to unlock the mechanisms of learning and memory at the molecular, cellular, circuit and systems levels—mechanisms that are key to understanding the pathophysiology of neurological disorders affecting cognition and exploring new approaches for therapeutic intervention.
One of my goals is to continue to foster collaborations with colleagues both within and outside the Picower Institute and to promote relationships between the MIT neuroscience community and the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute.
As director, my responsibility will be to continue the long-term mission of the institute in pursuing the understanding of higher cognitive functions in a collaborative and intellectual atmosphere. In the short term, my goal is to recruit the brightest junior faculty to further enrich the scientific environment of the Picower Institute and the MIT neuroscience community.
I am truly honored by the trust that has been placed in me to lead the Picower Institute and I look forward to working with each of the faculty and staff to address the challenges we now face. Working together, I am confident that we can make our Institute an even better home for research and education.
Li-Huei Tsai
Director, The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
Picower Professor of Neuroscience
Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
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