2025 Seed Grant
Linlin Fan, Ph.D.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Our research focuses on understanding how the brain stores memories. We are studying special groups of brain cells, called engrams, that help us remember things. These memory cells become active when we learn something new, but scientists don’t fully understand how they change or connect to form a memory. We will use optical tools that allow us to see and control the activity of brain cells with light. This will help us discover exactly how memory cells work and what changes happen when a memory is formed. This knowledge could help us better understand and eventually treat brain diseases that affect memory, like Alzheimer’s disease.
