Einstein Brain Atlas

The NMHMC Harvey Collection of Einsteins brain : Neuroscientists, researchers, educators and the general public now have access to Albert Einstein’s brain via this new iPad app that will allow its users to examine the Nobel Prize-winning physicist’s neuroanatomy as if they were sitting in front of a microscope.

Dr. Thomas Harvey was the pathologist who performed the autopsy on Albert Einstein at Princeton Hospital on April 18, 1955.  Dr. Harvey removed the brain for study,  segmented the brain into approximately 170 parts, roughly grouped by the various lobes and brainstem, and then sectioned those parts into hundreds of microscope sections.  These sections were mounted on microscope slides and stained to highlight both cellular structure and nerve conductive tissue.  Harvey’s estate donated the collection to the National Museum of Health and Medicine in 2010.  In the spring of 2012, the National Museum of Health + Medicine Chicago (NMHMChicago) obtained private funding support to begin digitizing this collection.  This app makes available to the public the portion of the collection that has been digitized to-date.  Subsequent releases of this app will add additional materials as their digitization can be completed.  

All profits from the sale of this app will be used to support the Department of Defense’s National Museum of Health and Medicine in Silver Spring, Maryland, as well as the National Museum of Health and Medicine Chicago, a 501(c)3 public charity institution.

Web site: http://nmhmchicago.net/einstein