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The New England Center

The New England Center for Healthy Minds is a pioneering organization conducting innovative research and developing evidence-based programs to cultivate wellbeing across the lifespan. Based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Center was founded in 2016 to nurture minds young and old for more fulfilling, purposeful lives. Read on to learn about their groundbreaking work applying the science of positive emotions, mindfulness and character development for the flourishing of individuals and communities.

About the Center

The New England Center for Healthy Minds was established through a collaboration between the University of Wisconsin-Madison and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Guided by the Dalai Lama’s vision to integrate science and education for human happiness, the Center is dedicated to fostering wellbeing through the lifespan with rigorous research and real-world programs.

The Center is led by Founding Director Dr. Richard J. Davidson, a world-renowned neuroscientist studying emotions, mindfulness, and how contemplative practices shape the brain for optimal wellbeing. He established the Center after four decades examining the neuroscience underlying compassion, mindfulness, resilience and purposeful living.

The organization’s mission is to:

Advance the scientific understanding of flourishing mental health across ages and diverse populations.
Develop and disseminate evidence-based strategies for cultivating minds of all ages.
Provide public education on the significance of healthy minds for nurturing individuals and vibrant communities.
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With a $7 million dollar donation from philanthropists Tania and Paul Collins, the Center was established in 2016 as an innovative hub for expanding the frontiers of wellbeing science and translating findings into practical programs for real-world benefits.

Research at the Center

The New England Center for Healthy Minds engages in pioneering research to deepen scientific understanding of what constitutes and cultivates a healthy mind from birth through old age. Ongoing studies focus on:

How practices like mindfulness affect neurological patterns and behaviors related to emotional regulation, attention, cognition, empathy and relationship quality
The neural mechanisms through which positivity, life purpose, altruism, and healthy habits like exercise and sleep impact mental and physical health
The effects of mindfulness practices on cognitive skills and stress in educational settings from early childhood through college
Technology-enhanced interventions to foster wellbeing in people of all ages and backgrounds
Factors influencing mind-body interactions and the brain-immune system relationship
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The Center is especially focused on studying mental training practices like mindfulness meditation to illuminate their impacts on the brain, behavior and relationships. Rigorous randomized controlled trials assess how such contemplative practices can be optimized for nurturing flourishing mental health. Findings are shared through prominent scientific journals, academic conferences, educational workshops and public talks.

Key focus areas include:

Mindfulness Meditation: Studies look at how different forms of meditation shape patterns of attention, emotion, cognition, motivation and connection with others. Imaging examines associated neural changes.