Mriganka Sur

Dr. Mriganka Sur is the Newton Professor of Neuroscience and Director of the Simons Center for the Social Brain at MIT. He previously served as head of the MIT Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences for 15 years. His research focuses on the organization, plasticity, and dynamics of the cerebral cortex, employing experimental and theoretical approaches. Key areas include synaptic plasticity mechanisms, cortical circuit development, and neurodevelopmental disorders like Rett syndrome. His lab pioneered imaging techniques to study intact brain circuits and identified gene networks underlying cortical plasticity.

Education: B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (1978), and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Vanderbilt University (1983).

Research interests span cortical circuit dynamics, neuromodulation (e.g., noradrenaline signaling), astrocyte-neuron interactions, and translational strategies for neurodevelopmental disorders. Recent work includes discoveries on astrocyte roles in synaptic refinement and the therapeutic potential of IGF-1 for Rett syndrome.

Major awards include the Krieg Cortical Discoverer Prize, Royal Society Fellowship, and multiple NIH grants. He has mentored over 80 doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows, recognized for teaching and mentoring excellence. His lab is funded by NIH BRAIN Initiative, Simons Foundation, and other institutions.

Labs/Teams: Sur Lab (MIT) focuses on cortical circuits and Rett syndrome mechanisms. He directs the Simons Center for the Social Brain, advancing social neuroscience research.