Mark Histed.

Mark Histed

Chief of the Unit on Neural Computation and Behavior
U.S. National Institute of Mental Health

Mark Histed is chief of the Unit on Neural Computation and Behavior at the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health. His lab aims to understand brain function by studying how connected networks of neurons process information. This work employs brain stimulation methods, behavioral assays and a close interaction between mathematical models and experiment.

Histed has a S.B. in biology with a minor in mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received his Ph.D. from MIT in the brain and cognitive sciences department, working with Earl K. Miller. He did postdoctoral fellowships with R. Clay Reid and John H.R. Maunsell at Harvard University. Before moving to NIMH, he was a research faculty member at the University of Chicago. He has also had adjunct faculty positions at the University of Maryland and George Mason University.

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of human endothelial cells grown in vitro.

Autism experts venture to set the narrative for INSAR, and more

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 20 April.

By Jill Adams
21 April 2026 | 2 min read
Collage illustration with a portrait of Mia Thomaidou.

Frameshift: How Mia Thomaidou tapped a fellowship to connect neuroscience to criminal justice

As a fellow at the Dana Foundation, she merged two familiar passions and discovered a new one: science philanthropy.

By Katie Moisse
21 April 2026 | 6 min read
Researcher hands and mice navigate a series of connected spaces and paths.

To understand decision-making, we need to truly challenge lab animals

Complex, multidimensional tasks that unfold over time could reveal how different brain areas work together to support decisions.

By Chand Chandrasekaran
20 April 2026 | 6 min read