The Institute for Mind and Biology at the University of Chicago enables research answering fundamental questions about the mind and its dynamic interaction with the biological systems of the body.  Our goal is to foster science essential for disciplines seeking to understand the relationships between the mind, the brain and the body, both in health and in disease.  We study these interactions to identify the specific physiological mechanisms that mediate the reciprocal interactions between psychological and biological processes, often in their social and cultural contexts.

Our focus on reciprocal interactions between these levels of organization is a hallmark of Institute research.  We emphasize causation in both directions, namely the bidirectional causal effects between behavior and biological systems.  Thereby, we can achieve a systematic and comprehensive understanding of the reciprocal interaction between biology and mind.