On February 28, 2000, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced that it will receive $350 million over the next 20 years to create the McGovern Institute of Brain Research. This gift, a donation from Patrick and Lore Harp McGovern, represents the largest donation ever given to a university. Patrick McGovern is the founder and chairman of the International Data Group.

This generous gift will be used by the new institute to explore human learning and communication by bringing together scientists in the fields of neuroscience, bioengineering, cognitive science, linguistics and genetics. Led by 1993 Nobel Prize winner Dr. Phillip Sharp, the institute will be housed in a new building on the MIT campus. The McGovern Institute of Brain Research will sponsor a team of 16 McGovern investigators including 10 new faculty and will offer new interdisciplinary opportunities at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

It will be interesting to see if the McGovern's donation motivates other well-known business people to step forward to support neuroscience research.