Headshot of Francisco Aboitiz.

Francisco Aboitiz

Director
Interdisciplinary Center for Neuroscience

Francisco Aboitiz is director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Neuroscience and professor of psychiatry at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. His research lines include the evolution of the brain and cognition and the neurocognitive underpinnings of neuropsychiatric conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. He is currently working on social projects, including implementing robotics workshops for children in schools of social risk and assessing their cognitive improvements, and screening resilience signatures in adolescent mothers. He has authored more than 140 scientific articles and is author of the books “A Brain for Speech. A View From Evolutionary Neuroanatomy and “A History of Bodies, Brains and Minds. The Evolution of Life and Consciousness.”

Explore more from The Transmitter

Gloved hand reaches out to touch a mouse.

This paper changed my life: Ishmail Abdus-Saboor on balancing the study of pain and pleasure

A 2013 Nature paper from David Anderson’s lab revealed a group of sensory neurons involved in pleasurable touch and led Abdus-Saboor down a new research path.

By Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
13 February 2026 | 7 min read

Sex bias in autism drops as age at diagnosis rises

The disparity begins to level out after age 10, raising questions about why so many autistic girls go undiagnosed earlier in childhood.

By Helena Kudiabor
13 February 2026 | 4 min read
Research image of the mouse dentate gyrus.

Microglia implicated in infantile amnesia

The glial cells could explain the link between maternal immune activation and autism-like behaviors in mice.

By Lauren Schneider
12 February 2026 | 5 min read

privacy consent banner

Privacy Preference

We use cookies to provide you with the best online experience. By clicking “Accept All,” you help us understand how our site is used and enhance its performance. You can change your choice at any time. To learn more, please visit our Privacy Policy.