The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC) at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Kempner Institute for the Study of Natural and Artificial Intelligence at Harvard University announced a new collaboration in the emerging field of NeuroAI, the intersection of neuroscience and artificial intelligence.
This partnership will foster sustained intellectual exchange between the two institutions through faculty and trainee engagement, workshops, and other academic activities. These efforts aim to strengthen ties between their research communities and lay the groundwork for future joint initiatives, with the shared goal of advancing innovative, interdisciplinary research in NeuroAI.
The collaboration will leverage modern AI tools to deepen the understanding of how human and animal brains learn, compute, and adapt, while drawing inspiration from biology to design more efficient, robust, and reliable AI systems.
NeuroAI researchers seek to understand intelligence across biological and artificial systems, examining how these systems learn from experience, form internal representations, and use them to make predictions and guide behavior in complex environments.
The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences is a leading hub for computational neuroscience at Hebrew University and part of a broader research ecosystem with strengths in artificial intelligence, computer science, and cognitive science.
The Kempner Institute is an interdisciplinary research institute focused on understanding intelligence in natural and artificial systems, bringing together researchers across machine learning, neuroscience, cognitive science, and related fields.
The collaboration builds on existing ties between the two communities. Notable connections include Haim Sompolinsky, a Kempner Associate Faculty member and Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Physics (in Residence) at Harvard University, who is also Professor Emeritus at ELSC; Daphna Weinshall, a Kempner Visiting Scholar and Professor of Computer Science at HU; and Jonathan Kadmon, Assistant Professor at ELSC and former visiting scholar at Harvard University.
About the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Israel's premier institution of higher learning and a beacon for visionary minds who challenge convention and shape the future, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) has pursued excellence in research, education, and innovation for over a century. Founded by luminaries like Albert Einstein, who entrusted his intellectual legacy to the University, HU is dedicated to advancing knowledge, cultivating leadership, and promoting diversity. Home to over 23,000 students from 90 countries, the Hebrew University drives much of Israel’s civilian scientific research and the commercialization of technologies through Yissum, its tech transfer company. Faculty and alumni of the University have earned ten Nobel Prizes, two Turing Awards, and a Fields Medal. For more information about Hebrew University's academic programs, research, and achievements, please visit http://new.huji.ac.il/en.
About American Friends of the Hebrew University
American Friends of the Hebrew University (AFHU) is a national, not-for-profit organization based in the United States. AFHU is headquartered in New York and has seven regional offices working in close partnership with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. AFHU provides supporters, Hebrew University alumni, and the public with stimulating programs and events, and organizes missions to Israel. For the past century, the organization’s activities have supported scholarly and scientific achievement at HU, created scholarships, funded new facilities, and assisted the University’s efforts to recruit outstanding new faculty. For more information, please visit http://www.afhu.org.
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