Neuroscience seeks to understand many functions and disorders of the nervous system and explain human cognitive function and behaviors. By studying the dynamic between the brain and body, Indiana University researchers are accelerating the development of treatments and improving outcomes.

To reflect the breadth of neuroscience research and the vision of philanthropists Linda and Jack Gill, the Linda and Jack Gill Center for Biomolecular Science at IU Bloomington has administratively moved to IU Research and was renamed the Linda and Jack Gill Institute for Neuroscience, effective July 1.

The Gill Institute for Neuroscience brings together world-class scientists at IU Bloomington and state-of-the-art facilities to pioneer innovations in neurobiology such as neural circuits, sensation and pain, addiction, and more. This expansion builds on IU’s longstanding interdisciplinary research in neuroscience.

The mission of the Gill Institute is to determine the mechanisms underlying neurological health and dysfunction to enable breakthrough interventions that transform mental health and improve quality of life, while disseminating knowledge to educate the next generation of neuroscientists. It aims to serve as an interdisciplinary hub that promotes and expands IU Bloomington’s neuroscience research.

“The Gill Center community has always been highly productive and impactful in achieving research excellence,” said Hui-Chen Lu, director of the institute. “This new organizational status will allow us more flexibility in our operations and permit us to be more agile and productive with our research.”

As an independent institute under IU Research, the Gill Institute joins a group of university-wide research centers, core facilities and other institutes such as the Irsay Institute and Environmental Resilience Institute. Scott Michaels, assistant vice president for IU Research’s Centers and Core Facilities, said he’s looking forward to seeing the institute grow.

“Many of our institutes have centers under them,” Michaels said. “In this way, the Gill Institute sets itself up to have a positive impact on a wide range of neuroscience research across IU.”

Founded in 1999 through a generous gift from Jack and Linda Gill, Houston, Texas-based philanthropists and academics, the Gill Institute was established to advance understanding of biological processes and to train the next generation of scientists. The institute was founded with the emphasis of fostering and participating in the broader neuroscience community at IU. Gill Chairs and affiliated scientists are pursuing research in molecular biology, bioinformatics, chemistry, metabolism, pharmacology, neuroimaging and bioengineering. The Gill Institute Chairs are recruited from other institutions to support the institute’s research mission.

Since 2019, the institute has been awarded more than $25 million in external grant funding and published more than 180 papers.

The Gill Institute is one of several campus leaders contributing to groundbreaking research to the field. Faculty in IU’s Program in Neuroscience in the College of Arts and Sciences are also working to prevent, treat and cure neurological diseases. IU’s neuroscience community spans biology, chemistry, cognitive science, computer science, kinesiology, mathematics, medical sciences, optometry, physics, psychological and brain sciences, and speech and hearing departments. Across IU, researchers are leading the way in interdisciplinary neuroscience research excellence.

Jaleesa Elliott is a storyteller covering science and research across IU’s campuses.