Games as Brain Disease Therapy In May, the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Translational Research hosted a symposium in Shanghai titled “Games as Brain Disease Therapy.” This unique, cross-disciplinary research symposium attracted over a hundred US and Chinese experts from the gaming and medical industries. Read about the symposium

Clinical Assessment of Cognitive Impairment In April, the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Translational Research hosted the International Conference on the Clinical Assessment of Cognitive Impairment with the Shanghai Medical Doctors Association and the Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Huashan Hospital in Shanghai. Learn more about the conference

Exploring New Frontiers in Visual Arts Last month, we were pleased to introduce representatives from the Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts (SIVA) to leading scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital, Carnegie Mellon University and MIT. SIVA is exploring potential partnerships to develop next-generation creative disciplines by better understanding how the brain is involved in aesthetic appraisal.

As you may have heard, our documentary “Minds Wide Open” won three New York Film Festivals TV and Film awards in April and a Gold “Best Brand Documentary” at the London Brand Film Festival in May, bringing the total number of awards won to eight.

Central Nervous System Injury and Repair TCCI is proud to be supporting the “Central Nervous System Injury and Repair” Gordon Research Conference (GRC) which takes place June 16-21, 2019 at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. The meeting Chairs are Mark H. Tuszynski and Martin E. Schwab. Vice Chairs are Yimin Zou and Simone Di Giovanni. Read more on the GRC website

Neuro2019 We are also pleased to be supporting Professor Andres Luthi's plenary lecture at Neuro 2019, the 42nd annual meeting of the Japanese Neuroscience Society. The event takes place July 25-28, 2019 in Niigata, Japan. Read more on NEURO2019’s website

Cell: Gut Bacteria Influence Autism-Like Behaviors In Mice June 4, 2019. Caltech researchers in the lab of Sarkis Mazmanian, an affiliated faculty member of TCCI at Caltech, Luis B. and Nelly Soux Professor of Microbiology and HMRI Investigator, have discovered that gut bacteria directly contribute to autism-like behaviors in mice. Read more in the journal Cell

Neuron: Being Refreshed Is Not The Same As Being Hydrated May 29, 2019. Caltech assistant professor and Chen Scholar, Yuki Oka, wanted to better understand how the brain processes satiation and pleasure signals related to drinking. His research, published in Neuron, shows that thirst satiation is governed by two independent pathways in the mammalian body and brain. Read more in Neuron

Nature Human Behavior: Anxious People Quicker to Flee Danger May 17, 2019. New research conducted by Dean Mobbs, assistant professor of cognitive neuroscience at Caltech, shows that individuals with anxiety escape distant threats of danger sooner. The study was funded by TCCI and the National Institute of Mental Health. Read more in Nature Human Behavior

Neuron: How the Brain Learns New Skills May 1, 2019. A new study on brain plasticity done in the lab of Caltech Professor Richard Andersen, the James G. Boswell Professor of Neuroscience, T&C Chen Brain-Machine Interface Center Leadership Chair, and director of the T&C Brain-Machine Interface Center of TCCI at Caltech, shows that learning is easier when related to existing skills. Read more on Caltech’s website

NPR: Blech! Brain Science Explains Why You're Not Thirsty For Salt Water March 27, 2019. Chen Scholar Yuki Oka, was interviewed on NPR’s “All Things Considered” about his research into how the brain regulates sodium appetite. Oka’s team used a technique called optogenetics to switch on the neurons related to sodium appetite in mice brains. Learn more on NPR’s website

eNeuro: Evidence for a Human Geomagnetic Sense Mar 18, 2019. Researchers have developed an experiment that shows many humans are able to unconsciously detect changes in Earth-strength magnetic fields. Neuroscientist and TCCI-affiliated faculty member, Shin Shomojo, worked with Caltech geoscientist Joseph Kirschvink and University of Tokyo neuroengineer Ayu Matani on the project. Read more in eNeuro