ABOUT THE HOST INSTITUTION

From the day the University of California, Irvine first opened its doors, neuroscience has been among our towering academic strengths, including the establishment of the first department of neuroscience in the world (at the time called Psychobiology) in 1964 by James McGaugh

In 1983, McGaugh and colleagues Gary Lynch and Norman Weinberger went on to make history again by creating the first institute in the world dedicated to solving the fundamental challenge of understanding how we learn and remember

At the Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (CNLM) biologists, engineers, computer scientists, cognitive scientists and psychologists work together at the intersection of disciplines to generate fundamental and often unexpected breakthroughs This approach has already yielded discoveries that have transformed our understanding of the workings of memory

From uncovering how emotional arousal strengthens memories to understanding how false memories arise, to revealing the impact of stress, sleep and exercise on memory, to shedding light on how memories are stored in synaptic connections, to discovering a rare and unusual form of superior autobiographical memory, our faculty have been at the forefront of discovery in the field for over 40 years

The CNLM has also led the charge in neuroscience education, brain awareness and community outreach In 2020, the Center's Director of Outreach and Education partnered with high schooler Nikhita Kaushik to establish the Southern California Youth Neuroscience Association, created to be a community for youth interested in neuroscience to bond, learn and give back The organization now has membership of over 200 high schoolers who engage in monthly activities including seminars by scientists, lab tours, dissections, symposia, panel discussions, debates, and more.

This summer, the CNLM will launch the Brain Explorer Academy, a NIH-funded program to engage youth in neuroscience and to broaden participation in neuroscience to those from backgrounds underrepresented in the field.

Learn more about the UC Irvine Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory at cnlm.uci.edu

Welcome to UCI, ZOT ZOT!