The Department of Neurobiology and Behavior (NBB) was among the first to combine the study of animal behavior with its neural basis. Our faculty and students are dedicated to exploring a wide range of scientific topics, from single neurons and complex circuits to whole organisms and their societies. Central to our mission is the quest to unravel the profound mysteries of how nervous systems generate behavior, including the evolutionary pathways that have shaped brains and behavior over time. We believe these scientific frontiers are not just fascinating but also critical for understanding the intricacies of the brain, the least understood organ that underlies human experience
Recent Stories
From portfolios to pizza, fall A&S career events explore diverse fields
"Cornell alumni are generous with their time and efforts to assist students, to answer questions from students, or connect them to people and places."
Read moreNew A&S dean relishes ‘life in a university’
Peter John Loewen says he's excited to support faculty in their research, meet students and showcase the value of a liberal arts education.
Read moreSleep resets neurons for new memories the next day
The study answers how people can keep learning new things for a lifetime without using up all of their neurons.
Read moreProfessor’s perceptron paved the way for AI – 60 years too soon
NBB has a room called the Rosenblatt room, named after Frank Rosenblatt. You can read about Frank Rosenblatt in the Cornell Chronicle.
Read moreScientists think they know why humans live so long: Moms
The authors of the paper, “Maternal Care Leads to the Evolution of Long, Slow Lives,” published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on June 14, 2024 are worried the paper may be taken out of context in what a mother's care means. "Humans are a primate and we live much longer lives...
Read moreMothers’ care is central factor in animal, human longevity
The relationship between mother and child offers clues to the mystery of why humans live longer lives than expected for their size – and sheds new light on what it means to be human.
Read morePeter Loewen named dean of Arts and Sciences
Coming from the University of Toronto, where he is the director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Loewen begins his five-year appointment as the Harold Tanner Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Aug. 1.
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