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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. As a community we adhere to Cornell's Founding Principle of "... any person ... any study".
Madineh Sedigh-Sarvestani, Assistant Professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Freeman Hrabowski Scholar was quoted as saying, "Our core hypothesis is that sensation doesn't come pre-labeled with meaning". She was a guest speaker at a Bodian Seminar hosted by the Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute.
Blythe Wong ‘25, a biological sciences major in the College of Arts & Sciences at Cornell University, reflects on her experience as a Nexus Scholar.
Matthew Zipple, a College of Arts & Sciences biologist, was named a Blavatnik Regional Award finalist for pioneering rewilded mouse research. Taking an approach different than traditional biomedical models, he shows natural environments can reshape behavior and health.
Matthew Zipple, Research Associate in the neurobiology and behavior department at Cornell University was a 2026 Finalist for the 2026 Blavatnik Regional Awards for Young Scientists.
Cornell researchers in the College of Arts and Sciences developed WILD, a tiny wireless device that records brain activity in animals moving through natural environments. The open-source technology enables long-term neuroscience studies of social behavior beyond traditional laboratory settings.
“To me, queen cells [growth chambers] have long seemed important,” he says. Odors from a growing queen may permeate its walls, he says. This might mark these cells as “very special spots that workers recognize and don’t accidentally damage.”, as quoted by Thomas Seeley, Horace White Professor in Biology, Emeritus from the neurobiology and behavior…
Location: Corson/Mudd Hall, Morison Room, A106
Location: Weill Hall, 226
Location: Corson/Mudd Hall, Morison Room, A106