USC Dornsife Brain and Creativity Institute

Founded in 2006 on the University of Southern California campus, the Brain and Creativity Institute develops and executes cutting-edge research that studies the relationship between neuroscience and human innovation. Ongoing projects include research focused on the effects of music on the developing brain, feeling and consciousness in both humans and machines, and the way in which the brain structures narrative.

In 2012, the Brain and Music Program was created to work in collaboration with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, tracking the impact of group music training on the development of six- and seven-year-old children. The goal of the study is to provide empirical support for childhood music-education programs. The Brain and Creativity Institute is led by Dr. Antonio Damasio and Dr. Hanna Damasio, two of the world's leading scientists in cognitive science and neuroscience.