Myriam Heiman, the John and Dorothy Wilson Professor of Neuroscience at MIT, will officially take on the role of director of MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory on July 1, succeeding Picower Professor Li-Huei Tsai, who has led the institute for 16 years. Heiman is a molecular neurobiologist and geneticist focusing on neurodegenerative diseases of the brain's basal ganglia, including Huntington's and Parkinson's diseases. Utilizing cutting-edge techniques such as single-cell genomics and a powerful transcriptomic technique she helped invent—translating ribosome affinity purification—she aims to understand the molecular changes that ultimately lead to cell death in these diseases.
"Myriam is an extraordinary scientist, a proven leader within MIT, and a deeply caring and generous mentor. Her research into why specific brain cell types are particularly vulnerable to diseases like Huntington's has produced studies that are both profound in insight and broad in scope," says Nergis Mavalvala, dean of the MIT School of Science. "I firmly believe that Myriam will be an excellent leader during the Picower Institute's next chapter." Heiman expressed, "I am honored to take on this role to support the institute's exceptional scientists and trainees in their discoveries that deepen our understanding of the brain and improve human health."
The Picower Institute is a community of 16 neuroscience labs dedicated to understanding the mechanisms that drive learning and memory along with related functions such as cognition, emotion, perception, behavior, and consciousness. Neuroscientists at the institute explore the brain and nervous system at multiple scales, from genes and molecules to cells and synapses, producing novel insights into how disruptions in these mechanisms can lead to developmental, psychiatric, or neurodegenerative diseases. Founded by Picower Professor Susumu Tonegawa in 1994, the institute became an official institute in 2002 thanks to a transformative gift from Barbara and Jeffry Picower. Li-Huei Tsai has served as director since 2009 but announced in March her decision to step down to focus on her research.
Heiman joined the Picower Institute, BCS, and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT in 2011 after completing her postdoctoral training at The Rockefeller University. She holds a PhD from Johns Hopkins University and a BA from Princeton University. "Since joining the institute, Heiman's research has been guided by the principle that fundamental understanding can lead to breakthroughs in addressing disease," Tsai states. "Myriam has made it her mission to tackle these urgent questions in neuroscience."
Heiman employs sophisticated DNA and RNA analysis technologies to gain detailed insights into how brain cell states change amid disease, revealing molecular pathways that contribute to the particular vulnerability of different cell types. In 2020, she published the results of an innovative in vivo screening of every mouse gene's impact on the survival of neurons, identifying hundreds of genes necessary for sustaining neurons and highlighting a specific gene that promoted resilience in the context of Huntington's disease. Other studies have revealed errant immune responses in neurons and in the brain's blood vessels that contribute to the disease's progression. A 2022 paper with MIT CS and AI Lab colleague Manolis Kellis provided one of the first cellular atlases of the brain's vasculature.
Her research has also produced insights into other neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, including ALS and frontotemporal dementia. In 2024, together with Kellis, Heiman published a paper in Cell showing remarkable overlaps in cellular and molecular levels between these diseases, revealing potential targets for therapies applicable to both. Heiman's latest research is also yielding new insights into substance use disorders and schizophrenia. Her research program has garnered numerous awards. In 2021, she became a co-recipient of a National Institutes of Health Transformative Research Award, which promotes cross-disciplinary approaches; the following year, she received a prestigious NIH R35 grant to identify early triggers of disease progression. Heiman is also a dedicated teacher and mentor, receiving the BCS Department's award for excellence in graduate mentoring in 2017 and the department's award for excellence in undergraduate teaching in 2020. In 2024, she was recognized as one of 23 faculty members at MIT who are "committed to caring"—an award given by MIT's Office of Graduate Education to exceptional mentors. Heiman looks forward to her new role at MIT. "I approach this role with humility and enormous enthusiasm," she says. "The Picower Institute has an extraordinary legacy, and I'm eager to support the next generation of transformative research."
Blogger's Review: Heiman's appointment signals a new era for the Picower Institute, and with her exceptional research background in neuroscience, it suggests significant breakthroughs in understanding the molecular mechanisms of brain diseases ahead. Her cutting-edge technology and interdisciplinary research approach will bring new perspectives and hope to the field of neuroscience.