Eccles Institute of Neuroscience: a unified research concept for ANU

Sir John Eccles
Photo: ANU Photography

ANU has a proud and long tradition of neuroscience-related research. Over several decades the discipline has grown and spread across campus such that neuroscience has 41 chief investigators and is housed in several buildings.

In 2007 the ANU neuroscience community was consolidated into the Eccles Institute of Neuroscience (EIN), named after the ANU Nobel Prize winning neuroscientist Sir John Eccles. The initiation of the EIN began the process of merging the various neuroscience units together under one roof. A building has been designed in which approximately 70% of neuroscience staff will be collocated within the next few years. The other 30% of staff will remain close to existing facilities such as the Medical and Psychology Schools.

The EIN is funded through the ANU block grant, the Australian Research Council (ARC), the National Health and Medical Research Council, several international science bodies, NGOs and through industry partners.

The Institute hosts several major centres including the Centre for Mental Health Research, the Centre for Visual Sciences and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Vision Science (ACEVS). ACEVS is a collection of 18 senior Australian vision scientists, with the Director and 11 chief investigators based at ANU.