Dr. Michael Greenberg

Biography

Michael Greenberg is the Nathan Marsh Pusey Professor of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School and holds a position as a Professor of Neurology at Boston Children's Hospital. He serves as the Director of the Hock E. Tan K. Lisa Yang Center for Autism Research at Harvard Medical School. His research focuses on how experience shapes gene expression and neural connectivity, which are critical for proper brain development and higher cognitive functions. His lab investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal activity's influence on gene expression and the establishment of neural circuits, with particular attention to developmental disorders such as autism and Rett syndrome. Since the mid-1980s, Greenberg has elucidated the role of growth factors and activity-responsive genes, like Fos, in neuronal transcription programs. His work encompasses the study of signaling pathways that convey calcium-dependent signals and their impact on transcription within neurons. Current projects include exploring sensory-driven circuit development and the activity-dependent transcriptional responses in the context of human-specific molecular neurobiology.

Research Interests

Experience