The Institute, located at 1207 Highway 182 West in Starkville, contributes to the economic development of the state by serving as a magnet for high-technology industries and for government-sponsored research projects. We facilitate research in cognitive science and medical systems, as well as facilitate education at the graduate and undergraduate levels. The focus of the Institute is on science and technology research that is applicable to and helps optimize human systems performance. Collaborators include faculty in the fields of cognitive neuroscience, biological sciences, biomedical engineering, industrial engineering, veterinary medicine, finance and economics, electrical and computer engineering, and computer science.
The Institute continues to be a catalyst for new courses in biomedical engineering, veterinary medicine, cognitive science, and other areas related to neuroscience and technology; attract top faculty members who need access to MRI and other biological imaging resources; and create hands-on learning experiences for graduate and undergraduate students.
A partnership with Premier Radiology provides expertise in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and functional MRI (fMRI) studies while adding to MSU research capabilities and allowing the university to compete for funding from agencies such as the National Institutes of Health that require physician collaborators. Currently, MSU research in cognitive science is supported by funding from the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The partnership will also help leverage current ONR funding and reduce Institute costs.
A relatively new technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) allows scientists to directly observe brain function by mapping changes in blood flow that correspond to mental operations. This non-invasive technology opens new opportunities to understand how the brain is organized and how it functions on multiple levels simultaneously. Research conducted at MSU has applications in facilitating the human interface through controls and instrumentation for complex systems such as aircraft, weapons, and automobiles, as well as in veterinary medicine applications.
Biological imaging equipment available at INST allows us to provide critical services to human and pet patients in the community. We, through our partnership with Premier Radiology, make the equipment, including a 3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (3T MRI) machine, available for diagnostic and therapeutic use to area physicians and their patients who did not previously have access to equipment of such power in the Golden Triangle Region. Our biological imaging technology is also be available to private practice veterinarians and pet owners in the state through the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine.