Takao Hensch

Dr. Takao Hensch is a Professor at Harvard University with joint appointments in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Neurology. He investigates critical periods of brain development, examining how early experiences shape neural circuits and their vulnerability to disorders like autism and epilepsy. His work has revealed that inhibitory circuits determine the timing of these critical periods, with translational applications for neurodevelopmental disorders.

He directs the NIMH Conte Center at Harvard and holds affiliations with Boston Children's Hospital's Kirby Neurobiology Center. Dr. Hensch earned his Ph.D. from UCSF, trained at Harvard and the University of Tokyo, and received the Society for Neuroscience Young Investigator Award, NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, and Japan's Order of the Rising Sun.

His research employs molecular, cellular, and systems neuroscience approaches. Recent work explores anesthesia effects on infant neurodevelopment, oxidative stress in traumatic brain injury, and gene therapies for epilepsy. Publications emphasize plasticity mechanisms, cortical circuit maturation, and therapeutic interventions.

Dr. Hensch's lab studies neural circuit development across sensory systems and prefrontal cortex, collaborating globally through the ENIGMA Consortium to link genetic variation with brain structure.