Steven McCarroll

Steven McCarroll is a leading geneticist who is revolutionizing our understanding of mental illness. As a professor at Harvard Medical School and the Director of Genetics at the Broad Institute’s Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, he uses a combination of genetics, biology, and engineering to study the human brain. His groundbreaking research has helped uncover the biological causes of mental illnesses. In a major discovery, he and his team found a specific gene variation that can contribute to the development of schizophrenia. They found that this gene changes how the brain’s immune system “prunes” or removes certain connections, a process that is essential for normal brain development. This discovery is changing the way scientists think about the disease and is opening the door to new and better treatments. Steve continues to expand his work to study the genetic roots of other neurological disorders, including bipolar disorder and ALS. His research is not only helping to solve one of the greatest mysteries of human biology but is also offering new hope for people living with these conditions.