Simons Center for the Social Brain

The Simons Center for the Social Brain at MIT was established in 2012. Its mission is to understand the neural mechanisms underlying social cognition and behavior and to translate this knowledge into better diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

The Simons Center studies the underlying mechanisms of ASD in both humans and relevant model organisms and systems, as neural correlates of social cognition and behavior exist in diverse species. Our approaches utilize MIT’s strengths in genetics and genomics, molecular and cell biology, analyses of neural circuits and systems, cognitive psychology, computation, and engineering. 

Targeted projects are innovative and collaborative projects undertaken by multiple laboratories to explore specific aspects or types of autism. These projects are structured to encourage collaboration among researchers to quickly and flexibly address pressing questions in autism research.

Postdoctoral fellowships are intended for outstanding candidates with recent PhDs and wish to conduct autism-related research under the mentorship of MIT faculty researchers. 

Our events are an integral way for us to foster community among our researchers and connect with the larger community. Our colloquium series is the longest-running seminar series on brain disorders in the Boston area, and our lunch series includes more internally focused talks featuring postdoctoral fellows and faculty PIs presenting their research.

For further information, contact Senior Administrative Manager Eleana Ricci-MacPhail, 617-253-9340.