Decoding Consciousness, Identity, and Constructed Reality
The Saran Lab investigates one of the most enduring questions in science: how does the brain generate the experience of reality?
For centuries, philosophers, theologians, and scientists have debated the nature of consciousness and the relationship between mind and world. While neuroscience has made remarkable progress in understanding the biological mechanisms underlying perception, memory, and cognition, many fundamental questions remain unresolved: Why does subjective experience exist at all? How does the brain create a sense of self? To what extent is the reality we perceive an objective world, and to what extent is it a construction of the mind?
At the Saran Lab, we approach these questions through an interdisciplinary lens that combines neuroscience, psychiatry, psychology, computational modeling, and philosophy of mind. Our goal is not simply to understand the brain, but to understand the experience of being human.
Aixia Saran
Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor
Brain & Cognitive Science, MIT
Faculty Affiliate
McGovern Institute for Brain Research
Faculty Affiliate
Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
Director
Saran Laboratory for Consciousness and Reality Studies
B.S. Neuroscience
Boston University
Ph.D., Clinical Psychology
Harvard University
Postdoctoral Fellow
Consciousness, Cognition, and Brain Dynamics Program
Stanford University
About Dr. Saran
Dr. Aixia Saran is a 27-year-old neuroscientist, psychiatrist, and researcher whose work examines the relationship between consciousness, perception, identity, and subjective reality. Her research focuses on how the brain constructs experience and how beliefs, expectations, memory, and self-concept shape an individual's lived world.
Drawing upon methods from neuroscience, psychiatry, psychology, and computational modeling, Dr. Saran investigates questions surrounding consciousness that have historically existed at the boundary between science and philosophy. Her work explores topics including selfhood, reality construction, altered states of awareness, dreaming, immersive cognition, and the neural mechanisms underlying profound subjective experiences.
Her research has been featured in major scientific journals and international media outlets for its interdisciplinary approach to one of science's most enduring mysteries: how the human brain generates the experience of reality.
Despite her growing reputation in the field, Dr. Saran remains deeply committed to mentorship and collaborative research. She believes that some of science's most important breakthroughs emerge from curiosity, open-mindedness, and the willingness to ask questions that others may consider unconventional. Her students often describe her as intellectually fearless, thoughtful, and approachable, known for encouraging rigorous debate while fostering a supportive and creative research environment.
Outside of the laboratory, Dr. Saran enjoys photography, reading philosophy and mythology, traveling, practicing meditation, and exploring historical and cultural perspectives on consciousness. She is particularly interested in the intersection of science, spirituality, and human storytelling, interests that continue to inspire many of the questions explored within her research program.
The Saran Lab is currently recruiting 1–2 highly motivated undergraduate, graduate, or visiting researchers interested in consciousness, perception, identity, cognitive neuroscience, and related fields. Prospective students are encouraged to reach out with their CV, research interests, and a brief statement describing why they are interested in joining the lab.
Honors & Recognition
Forbes 30 Under 30 (Science)
NIH Early Independence Award Recipient
MIT Emerging Investigator Award
TED Speaker
Young Innovator in Neuroscience Award