Welcome to the Department of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School!

The HMS Neurobiology Department was founded in 1966 by Stephen W. Kuffler, Nobel Prize winners David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel, as well as Ed Kravitz, Ed Furshpan, and David Potter. Together, they introduced a new field of scientific discovery called Neurobiology that combined methods of physiology, biochemistry, histology, neuroanatomy, and electron microscopy to study the development and function of the nervous system. 

Click HERE to learn about our recent 50th anniversary celebration

The legacy of this interdisciplinary approach continues today in our over 30 research laboratories that study neuroscience at the molecular, cellular, circuit and systems levels, fueled both by curiosity as well as a commitment to address diseases of the nervous system. Our mission to educate and train the next generation of neuroscientists is supported by graduate programs at Harvard including the Program in Neuroscience (PiN), the Biological and Biomedical Sciences program, and others. Our faculty actively participate in teaching the PiN curriculum and mentor trainees in their labs. We have a Neuro Postdoc Club that offers postdocs a way to meet individuals in other labs through career development activities, social gatherings, and scientific presentations. The department was instrumental in establishing the Harvard Brain Science Initiative in 2014 to unite neuroscience research efforts across Harvard (from HMS Quad to departments in the Harvard-affiliated hospitals to the Center for Brain Science in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences). We established a Departmental Committee on Diversity and Inclusion to work consistently towards the goal of equity and justice in our Department and beyond. 

Taken together, HMS Neurobiology stands for excellence and inclusion in neuroscience research, training, and education.