Mriganka Sur, Ph.D.

Noradrenaline is a neuromodulator that has been linked to arousal and boosting alertness, but can lead to anxiety in large amounts. Unlike neurotransmitters, which enable cell-to-cell communication, neuromodulators are released over large swathes of the brain, allowing them to exert more general effects.

Previous studies of the locus coeruleus (LC), the primary source of noradrenaline in the brain, have shown that it receives input from many parts of the brain and also sends its signals far and wide. New research set out to study noradrenaline’s role in a specific type of learning called reinforcement learning or learning by trial and error. What they found is that, when the brain needs to pay attention to something important, it sends out a burst of noradrenaline. In a study of mice, the team found that one key role of noradrenaline is to help the brain learn from surprising outcomes… Continue reading.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) has announced the election of Mriganka Sur, Ph.D., Newton Professor of Neuroscience, Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology to its College of Fellows. Dr. Sur was nominated, reviewed, and elected by peers and members of the AIMBE College of Fellows for developing technologies for imaging brain cells, synapses and circuits and applying them innovatively to elucidate neuronal plasticity and computations.

The College of Fellows is comprised of the top two percent of medical and biological engineers in the country. The most accomplished and distinguished engineering and medical school chairs, research directors, professors, innovators, and successful entrepreneurs comprise the College of Fellows. AIMBE Fellows are regularly recognized for their contributions in teaching, research, and innovation. AIMBE Fellows have been awarded the Nobel Prize, the Presidential Medal of Science and the Presidential Medal of Technology and Innovation, and many also are members of the National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Medicine, and the National Academy of Sciences… Continue reading.