International Arts + Mind Lab: A neuroaesthetics research-to-practice initiative at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Innovation at the intersection of the arts and brain science

We’re on a mission to amplify human potential




We’re the source for cross-disciplinary discussion in brain science, architecture, music and art.
IAM Lab brings together brain scientists and practitioners in architecture, music and art to spark collaboration and research.
We’re sharing our findings with industry influencers who can apply neuroaesthetics research in their fields to enhance the way we live.
Planetary Health and Neuroarts
Key points Planetary health links human well-being directly to Earth’s ecological systems and stability. The arts can turn abstract crises like climate change into personal, actionable experiences. Neuroarts show how art shapes the brain and emotions, fueling behavior change for the sake of the planet. Written by Erin Broas, MSPH, Communications Specialist at the Johns...
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Why Youth Mental Health Calls for More Than Clinics
By Maya Lakshman More and more conversations are happening about expanding access to mental health care. But what if some of the most effective supports for youth already exist—just not in places we would typically describe as clinical? Maybe they look like a shared rhythm in a dance studio, a quiet sketch passed between friends,...
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This is Your Brain on Protest Songs
By Sarah Hays Coomer “This is Los Angeles, ah-ooo, ah-ooo, ah-ooo!” Throngs of Los Angeles Football Club fans chant in protest of ICE raids on schools and businesses. Across town, in a city park framed by purple Jacaranda trees, demonstrators wielding maracas, bongos, and acoustic guitars launch into a boisterous group singalong, arms raised, belting, “No, I...
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The International Arts + Mind Lab is part of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. IAM Lab brings together brain scientists and practitioners in architecture, music and art in a global effort to amplify human potential.
Neuroaesthetics is an emerging field of study that explores the impact of the arts, architecture and music on the human brain and behavior.