Frontiers

Igniting the spark
Insights

Lucia Burrafato – Finding a home for art and science
Next Gen

Ankita Chadda – The mechanics of moving forward
Special Feature

2026: Salk’s Year of Brain Health 

In This Issue

Frontiers

Igniting the spark

Salk’s donor-funded Innovation and Collaboration Grants bring risky but rewarding science out of the dark. Read more ➤
Insights

Lucia Burrafato – Finding a home for art and science

Burrafato is shaping Discovery Society—a new, exclusive donor community built around a love for science, art, and Salk.  Read more ➤
Next Gen

Ankita Chadda – The mechanics of moving forward

Chadda is studying microscopic cellular motors in Aga Kendrick's lab.  Read more ➤
Special Feature

2026: Salk’s Year of Brain Health 

Salk Institute has declared a bold and timely focus for 2026: brain health. Read more ➤

President’s Letter

“Your partnership gives our scientists the freedom to be creative and visionary. The impact of that freedom is felt far beyond our campus.”

Gerald Joyce
President

View President’s Letter

Discoveries

Meet the star-shaped cells that are rewiring your brain

If you’ve ever read an article about the “best ways to boost neuroplasticity” or scrolled through the “top 10 daily habits to rewire your brain,” you’ve already gotten a peek into an important and growing research area.
Read more ➤
Biochemistry and Physics

Epigenetic changes regulate gene expression, but what regulates epigenetics? 

All the cells in an organism have the exact same genetic sequence.
See all ➤
Immunobiology

Could a dietary supplement make the difference between life and death during illness?  

Why is it that two people can develop the same infection but have dramatically different disease trajectories?
See all ➤
Metabolism

Could biochemical engineering tools reveal new insights into lung cancer?  

For cancer cells to grow and proliferate, they must be able to rapidly build and renew their outer membranes.
See all ➤
Neuroscience

How do brains stay stable, and when might a dose of flexibility be helpful? 

Young minds are easily molded.
See all ➤
Plant Biology

Genome-informed restoration could save our oceans and coastlines 

Seagrasses preserve our oceans and planet by absorbing carbon dioxide, calming rough waters, and offering a safe harbor for sea life.
See all ➤
VIEW ALL

Spotlight

Venture capitalist and inventor Andrew Senyei joins Salk Board of Trustees 

Senyei recently joined the Salk Institute’s Board of Trustees, bringing with him his decades of experience at the intersection of medicine, innovation, and investment.

Andrew Dillin and Christopher Glass named Nonresident Fellows

The two scientists join a group of eminent scientific advisors who guide Salk’s leadership.

Eight Salk scientists named among the most highly cited researchers in the world 

Joseph Ecker, Ronald Evans, Rusty Gage, Christian Metallo, Satchin Panda, Reuben Shaw, Kay Tye, and Joseph Nery were named to Clarivate’s 2025 Highly Cited Researchers list.

Deepshika Ramanan receives NIH New Innovators Award

Ramanan received the prestigious award in recognition of her creative and high-impact research on maternal immunity during pregnancy and lactation.
VIEW ALL
Events

Symphony at Salk – A concert under the stars

Thirty years of art & science. Read more ➤
Ask a Scientist

What soil and fertilizer should I use at home?

Advice from plant biologist Lena Mueller. Read more ➤