Lieber Institute for Brain Development

Lieber Institute for Brain Development Translating genetic insights into next generation treatments. LIBD partners with academic, pharmaceutical, foundation, and government agencies world-wide.

The Lieber Institute for Brain Development (LIBD) was established in 2010 through the historic gift of Constance & Stephen Lieber and Milton & Tamar Maltz as an independent, not-for-profit medical research institute with end-to-end capabilities under one roof. LIBD translates genetic insights into breakthrough treatments utilizing unparalleled resources in human brain tissue and human cell lines to understand the developmental origins of schizophrenia and related brain disorders. Affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, LIBD is led by Dr. Daniel Weinberger, formerly the head of the Genes, Cognition and Psychosis Program at the National Institute of Mental Health, and includes a world-class team of scientists with over 200 years’ cumulative experience and 2,500 published scientific papers. The Institute is committed to a collaborative approach and invests in building research networks and partnerships to accelerate scientific discovery.

We are excited to announce that Dr. Brady and his team have been awarded a grant from the G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers F...
02/21/2026

We are excited to announce that Dr. Brady and his team have been awarded a grant from the G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Foundation!

The Mathers Foundation is "dedicated to advancing knowledge in the life sciences by funding bold, basic scientific research with the potential to transform human health." Dr. Brady's team will use this funding to explore innovative approaches to uncovering new treatment targets for schizophrenia by using advanced human neuron models.

In short: our lab will be using cutting edge technology to see if there are better ways to support people with schizophrenia. ❤️

Announcing the first winner of our LIBD Lens contest! Each month, we invite our scientists to submit images from their w...
02/20/2026

Announcing the first winner of our LIBD Lens contest! Each month, we invite our scientists to submit images from their work, with one lucky person being chosen as a winner. Congratulations to Ishbel Del Rosario on being our first, inaugural winner! Fun fact: one of our donor families acted as January's judge!

Ishbel's imagery proves that neuroscience is as beautiful as it is powerful. This image shows a magnified view of a small region of the macaque brain, glowing with different colors that highlight specific genes inside brain cells.

🔴 Red, 🟡 yellow, and 🟣 magenta each mark different molecular signals within distinct areas of the amygdala, a region involved in emotion and behavior. 🟢 Green outlines the brain’s white matter, helping scientists map exactly where everything is happening.

What looks like abstract art is actually a detailed molecular map, helping researchers understand how specific cells function, communicate, and sometimes malfunction in brain disorders.

Science doesn’t just uncover answers. Sometimes, it reveals unexpected beauty along the way.

02/17/2026

The Lieber Institute Brain Repository is the LARGEST collection of postmortem human brains for the study of neuropsychiatric disorders in the world.

With more than 5,000 donated brains, this is where discovery begins. Every sample is carefully dissected, mapped, and prepared by our expert team giving researchers the precise tissue they need to understand how the brain works and what happens in mental illness.

This is the foundation of breakthroughs.

This is how we move closer to prevention, treatment, and ultimately ending mental illness.

We love demonstrating how our lab brings together diverse interests, from biotech to professional athletics, highlightin...
02/05/2026

We love demonstrating how our lab brings together diverse interests, from biotech to professional athletics, highlighting the broad appeal and impact of our work.

Last week, we hosted Blackbird Laboratories and members of the Baltimore Ravens family to illustrate how our research connects technology, science, and community engagement. Their visit showed our work matters to many and sparked valuable conversations.

Grateful for our partnership with Blackbird Laboratories and Go Ravens! (Ohhhh oh-oh-oh-oh-ohhhhhhh! If you know, you know. 😉)

02/03/2026

If we know so much about the brain, why don’t we have better treatments?

It’s a question we hear all the time and one that Dr. Jim Barrow understands deeply. In this video by Dragon Studio, he talks about the real challenges behind developing new drugs for mental health. From complex science to safety concerns, it’s a long, difficult road. For families who are waiting, that delay can feel unbearable.

But we’re not giving up. We’re using better data, smarter technology, and the largest human brain repository in the world to find new paths forward. We believe that people living with brain disorders deserve more than just hope.

They deserve real answers and real solutions.

01/27/2026

Famous last words: “Just one more take!” 📣

01/27/2026

"In a relatively short period of time, we have contributed more to our understanding of the brain mechanisms of serious psychiatric illness, particularly schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, PTSD, maybe su***de, than any other single research enterprise in the world."
-Daniel R. Weinberger, M.D.
Director and CEO of the Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology, Neuroscience and Genetic Medicine at Johns Hopkins Medicine

Imagine what we will accomplish in the next decade?

🚨 A new kind of pain relief may be on the horizon! 🚨 For millions of people living with IBS, functional dyspepsia, or ch...
01/21/2026

🚨 A new kind of pain relief may be on the horizon! 🚨

For millions of people living with IBS, functional dyspepsia, or chronic gut pain, treatment options often come with serious side effects like drowsiness, mental clouding, or even risk of addiction.
Our scientists have developed a new type of drug candidate designed to relieve gut pain without entering the brain. This breakthrough compound—called LI-633—was created to target pain where it starts: in the body’s peripheral nerves, not the central nervous system.

That means it could help reduce abdominal pain without the sedation or cognitive side effects that often come with traditional medications. It's a promising step toward safer, smarter treatments for chronic gastrointestinal pain. This research also serves as a reminder of how Lieber scientists are rethinking about how we treat brain and body disorders alike.

Read the full summary in our comments below or by checking out our website!

Beau has been busy!Ever wonder how stress affects the brain? We all do! Beau Oster is digging into that question with hi...
01/12/2026

Beau has been busy!

Ever wonder how stress affects the brain? We all do! Beau Oster is digging into that question with his doctoral research. At a recent conference, Beau presented his research on a tiny but powerful part of the brain called the ventral tegmental area (or VTA).

Why does it matter? This area plays a key role in how we respond to stress and understanding it at a deeper level could help unlock new clues about conditions like depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges.

We’re so proud of Beau for helping move this important work forward! 💛

Exciting leadership news from the Lieber Institute for Brain Development!We’re proud to announce that Dr. Keri Martinowi...
01/07/2026

Exciting leadership news from the Lieber Institute for Brain Development!

We’re proud to announce that Dr. Keri Martinowich has been named our new Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), a major milestone as we enter our 15th year of advancing brain research and transforming how we understand and treat neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.

Dr. Martinowich is a world-class neuroscientist with deep roots at Lieber. For more than a decade, she has led pioneering research into how specific genes and brain circuits shape behavior, disease vulnerability, and brain plasticity. Her work bridges cutting-edge science and real-world impact, making her the ideal leader to guide our research into this next chapter.

As CSO, she’ll oversee scientific strategy, foster collaboration across programs, and help drive discoveries that move us closer to effective treatments for brain disorders that affect millions.

🧠 Please join us in congratulating Dr. Martinowich on this well-deserved appointment!

https://www.libd.org/keri-martinowich-ph-d-chief-scientific-officer/

01/05/2026

Proof that we are real people, creating incredible change, AND having fun while we do it!

Big thanks to Geoff for letting us use this footage of him. 🎥

01/02/2026

What makes the Lieber Institute different?

We’re not here to chase funding. We’re here to chase answers. As a non-profit research institute, we don’t spend our days focused on grants or profit margins. Thanks to the initial support of the Lieber family and our incredible donors, our scientists are free to focus on what matters most: solving the mysteries of the brain.

With the world’s largest repository of human brain tissue and generous supporters, we’re advancing mental health research in ways few others can.

As Dr. Weinberger says: “This isn’t about science for money. It’s about money for science.”

Address

855 N. Wolfe Street, Suite 300
Baltimore, MD
21205

Telephone

+14109551000

Website

https://www.libd.org/endmentalillness

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The Lieber Institute for Brain Development (LIBD) was established in 2010 through the historic gift of Constance & Stephen Lieber and Milton & Tamar Maltz as an independent, not-for-profit medical research institute with end-to-end capabilities under one roof. LIBD translates genetic insights into breakthrough treatments utilizing unparalleled resources in human brain tissue and human cell lines to understand the developmental origins of schizophrenia and related brain disorders. Affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, LIBD is led by Dr. Daniel Weinberger, formerly the head of the Genes, Cognition and Psychosis Program at the National Institute of Mental Health, and includes a world-class team of scientists with over 200 years’ cumulative experience and 2,500 published scientific papers. LIBD partners with academic, pharmaceutical, foundation, and government agencies world-wide. The Institute is committed to a collaborative approach and invests in building research networks and partnerships to accelerate scientific discovery.