The Brain and Behavior Institute is a research community of over 100 investigators working to solve the most pressing problems of the central nervous system in development, aging and disease. We promote multi-disciplinary collaboration, the development of cutting-edge tools and the translation of basic science by providing seed funding for new research with high impact. Our seed grant program—the most successful program at UMD—funds work on autism, anxiety, Alzheimer’s disease, hearing loss and language comprehension. Students who receive funding through these awards receive training in state-of-the art techniques in neuroscience and contribute to novel discoveries about the brain.