Max Planck Florida Institute

Focus on Neural Circuits

Understanding the functional organization of the nervous system, its capacity to produce perception, thought, language, memory, emotion, and action, remains the ultimate challenge for biology. Neural circuits, the complex synaptic networks of the brain, hold the key to understanding who we are, why we behave the way we do, and how the debilitating effects of neurological and psychiatric disorders can be ameliorated. Meeting this challenge requires forging links between different levels of analysis—genetic, molecular, cellular, circuit, and behavioral—and developing new technologies that make cutting edge scientific discoveries possible. The Max Planck Florida Institute brings together outstanding scientists with a broad range of expertise in a cohesive, collaborative environment designed to stimulate the development of novel approaches to understanding the structure, function, and development of neural circuits.

Part of the prestigious Max Planck Society based in Germany, the MPFI is the first and only institute of its kind in North America. Situated in the new biosciences cluster in scenic Palm Beach County in south Florida, the MPFI provides a vibrant, interactive environment where scientists are provided generous ongoing support to conduct high impact research at the cutting edge.

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