Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior

Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior
Name	Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior
Type	Research institute
Location	Los Angeles, California
Parent organization	University of California, Los Angeles
Established	2004

Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior is an academic medical research and clinical center focused on neuroscience, psychiatry, and behavioral health located in Los Angeles, California. The institute is part of the University of California, Los Angeles and integrates clinical services, basic science, translational research, and professional training. It operates within a network of academic hospitals, research centers, and community partners to address neuropsychiatric disorders across the lifespan.

History

The institute was established in the early 21st century through philanthropic support and institutional consolidation, following initiatives at the University of California, Los Angeles, the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and partnerships with Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and UCLA Health. Its development intersected with contemporary efforts by the National Institutes of Health, philanthropic donors, and legislative trends shaping biomedical research funding. The institute expanded programs previously hosted by UCLA departments including Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Neurology, and the Brain Research Institute, and it has engaged with initiatives associated with the Broad Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and private foundations. Over time, it cultivated collaborations with hospitals and research centers such as Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Harbor–UCLA Medical Center, and the Veterans Health Administration, reflecting broader shifts in clinical neuroscience and translational psychiatry.

Mission and Organization

The institute's mission aligns with the academic objectives of the University of California, Los Angeles and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA to advance understanding, treatment, and prevention of neuropsychiatric disorders. Its organizational structure incorporates departments, centers, and programs that report to academic leadership including deans and department chairs, and it interfaces with grant-making agencies such as the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and private funders. Governance includes advisory boards and philanthropic trustees, and administrative ties extend to hospital leadership at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, UCLA Health Sciences, and statewide research consortia. The institute coordinates with peer organizations including the Salk Institute, Scripps Research, and the Allen Institute to pursue shared scientific priorities.

Research and Clinical Programs

Research programs span basic neuroscience, clinical trials, genomics, neuroimaging, and outcome research, engaging investigators from departments like Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Neurology, and Psychology. Clinical programs address mood disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, and substance use disorders, with links to specialty services at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, and the Jules Stein Eye Institute. Translational initiatives leverage techniques associated with functional magnetic resonance imaging, optogenetics, molecular genetics, and computational psychiatry, and collaborate with consortia such as the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and the Human Connectome Project. The institute participates in multicenter clinical trials alongside partners like the Veterans Health Administration, Kaiser Permanente, and academic centers including Columbia University and Stanford University.

Education and Training

Educational activities include residency programs in Psychiatry accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, fellowship programs in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Clinical Neuropsychology, and Addiction Medicine, and graduate training within UCLA Graduate Division programs in Neuroscience, Psychology, and Biomedical Sciences. The institute offers postdoctoral training supported by NIH T32 grants and mentors trainees who proceed to positions at institutions such as Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Pennsylvania. Continuing medical education and community outreach connect with professional societies including the American Psychiatric Association, Society for Neuroscience, and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Facilities and Affiliates

Primary facilities are sited on the UCLA campus and within Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, with affiliated clinics at UCLA Santa Monica and UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital. Research infrastructure includes imaging centers that host MRI and PET scanners, core laboratories for genomics and proteomics, and biobanks coordinated with repositories such as the National NeuroBank. Affiliations extend to academic partners like the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, the Semel Institute-affiliated centers within the UCLA Health system, and external collaborators including Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and UCLA-operated Veterans Affairs facilities.

Notable People and Leadership

Leadership has included senior faculty drawn from Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and allied departments, many of whom have ties to institutions such as Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford University, and Columbia University. Notable affiliated researchers and clinicians have held appointments or collaborations with organizations like the National Institutes of Health, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the MacArthur Foundation, and have contributed to literature in journals such as Nature, Science, The New England Journal of Medicine, and JAMA. Alumni and faculty have gone on to leadership roles at institutions including Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, University of California campuses, Mount Sinai, and University College London.

Category:University of California, Los Angeles Category:Medical research institutes in California