▁particular , ▁the ▁inst itute ▁a ims ▁to ▁support ▁fundamental ▁brain ▁research ▁with ▁a ▁focus ▁on ▁" under standing ▁the ▁sens ation - per ception ▁mechan isms ▁and ▁related ▁systems ▁of ▁memory , ▁attention , ▁learning ▁and ▁expect ations ." ▁The ▁inst itute ' s ▁stated ▁goal ▁is ▁to ▁fund ▁univers ities ▁and ▁institutions ▁in ▁forms ▁such ▁as ▁end owed ▁instit utes ," Des ign ▁Commission ▁H ears ▁Details ▁of ▁Major ▁New ▁Cal tech ▁Research ▁Center " ▁- ▁Pas ad ena ▁Now ▁- ▁August ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁gr ants ▁for ▁research ers , ▁professor ships , ▁or ▁" topic - specific ▁programs " ▁for ▁scient ists . ▁ ▁Co - found er ▁T ian q iao ▁Chen ▁has ▁explained ▁that ▁" the ▁key ▁of ▁[ the ▁inst itute ' s ] ▁phil anth ropy ▁vision " ▁is ▁further ing ▁understanding ▁of ▁per ception , ▁arg uing ▁that ▁such ▁research ▁would ▁help ▁people ▁master ▁negative ▁emot ions . ▁According ▁to ▁Chen , ▁“ for ▁thousands ▁of ▁years , ▁we ▁improved ▁our ▁happiness ▁through ▁changing ▁the ▁physical ▁world . ▁We ▁now ▁have ▁to ▁solve ▁this ▁problem ▁by ▁expl oring ▁in ward . ▁ ▁Program s ▁and ▁institutions ▁▁ ▁The ▁T ian q iao ▁and ▁Chr iss y ▁Chen ▁Institute ▁for ▁Neu ros cience ▁at ▁Cal tech ▁The ▁T & C ▁Chen ▁Bra in - Machine ▁Interface ▁Center ▁The ▁T & C ▁Chen ▁Center ▁for ▁Social ▁and ▁Dec ision ▁Neu ros cience ▁The ▁T & C ▁Chen ▁Center ▁for ▁Systems ▁Neu