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Jan. 9, 2025
Words activate hidden brain processes shaping emotions, decisions, and behavior
In an unprecedented new study in the journal Cell Reports, researchers have shown neurotransmitters in the human brain are released during the processing of the emotional content of language, providing new insights into how people interpret the significance of words.
The work, conducted by an international team led by Virginia Tech scientists, offers deeper understanding into how language influences human choices and mental health.
Spearheaded by computational neuroscientist Read Montague, professor of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and director of the institute’s Center for Human Neuroscience Research, the study represents a first-of-its-kind exploration of how neurotransmitters process the emotional content of language — a uniquely human function.
Campus News
Public lecture cancelled
A reminder that the Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture scheduled for today (Thursday) Jan. 23, has been cancelled. It was to feature Regina Barzilay of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who regretfully cannot attend.
The next lecture in the series, "How Big Med Drives Rising Healthcare Costs and What to Do About It," by Vivian Ho, Ph.D., is scheduled for Feb. 20, 2025.
We are committed to making our workplace inclusive for everyone. Read our Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Principles of Human Dignity and Non-Discrimination, and visit our Diversity and Inclusion page for more information.
Creating a healthier future. For everyone.
The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC is one of the nation’s fastest-growing academic biomedical research enterprises and a destination for world-class researchers. The institute’s Virginia Tech scientists focus on diseases that are the leading causes of death and suffering in the United States, including brain disorders, heart disease, and cancer. Since its founding in 2010, the research institute has experienced unprecedented growth: doubling its enterprise and lab facilities in Roanoke, while also investing in brand-new laboratories on the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus in Washington, D.C.
NEWS
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In the News
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VIDEOS
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Rethinking Human Health with AI: Solving Old Mysteries with Modern Tools , homeJan. 23, 2025, 5:30 p.m. (Reception at 5 p.m.) | Regina Barzilay, Ph.D., School of Engineering Distinguished Professor for AI and Health; AI Faculty Lead, Jameel Clinic; MIT Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Lab; MacArthur Fellow; Member, National Academy of Engineering, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the National Academy of Medicine | Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture
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Seminar: Deciphering the Diverse Roles of Astrocytes in Stroke-glioma Interaction , homeJan. 23, at 10 a.m. | Qi Ye, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Pediatric Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine | Seminar
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Neural Circuits for Social Behaviors , homeJan. 24, 2025, 11:00 a.m. | Marcelo de Oliveira Dietrich, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Comparative Medicine and Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine | Co-Sponsored by the Center for Neurobiology Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute
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Blood-Based Approaches to Counter Aging , homeJan. 31, 2025, 11:00 a.m. | Saul Villeda, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Chair, Department of Biomedical Science, University of California, San Francisco | Co-Sponsored by the Center for Exercise Medicine Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute
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Medical Scholar Lecture , homeFeb. 11, 2025, 5:30 p.m. (Reception and hors d'oeuvres at 5 p.m.) | Reuben S. Carpentier Professor and Chairman, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons; Physician-in-Chief, New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital | Timothy A. Johnson Medical Scholar Lecture Series
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Disability Identity, Inclusivity & Representation in Research , homeFeb. 14, 2025, 11:00 a.m. | Anjali Forber-Pratt, Ph.D., Director of Research, American Association on Health and Disability | Co-Sponsored by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Center for Human Neuroscience Research
Giving to the Research Institute
Your generous support of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute's rigorous biomedical research enterprise makes a difference for our faculty, students, and patients. Every donation helps accelerate the pace of new discoveries to help patients with cancer, neurological disorders, heart disease, and even rare genetic disorders. Private donations fast-track our progress.