Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School

John Medina is a developmental molecular biologist and affiliate professor of bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He has dedicated his career to researching the role of genes in brain development and psychiatric disorders. Medina also worked as a private mental health research consultant for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Medina has been recognized for his dedication to research and education. He was appointed affiliate scholar at the National Academy of Engineering and named Outstanding Faculty of the Year at the University of Washington. His work Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School has become a foundational text for schools and companies seeking to incorporate brain research into their structural systems.

Medina founded the Talaris Research Institute in 2000. This research center seeks to provide support for parents by exploring how infants process information. The Talaris Research Institute shares relevant research to parents in the following areas: physical and brain development, social and emotional development, learning and cognitive development, and communication and language development. Medina’s research is wide-reaching, but his focus is to provide access to practical research that will assist parents and children. His writing has followed this trajectory. In 2018, Medina wrote an article for EdSurge titled “Is Technology Bad for the Teenage Brain? (Yes, No and It’s Complicated).” In this article, Medina responds to many parental concerns regarding teens and access to social media and other internet-based activities. His frank response to these concerns was simply that he could not yet provide a definitive answer: “We need more research.”

Medina describes himself as a skeptic. He argues this is due to the limited understanding scientists have about how the brain works. For example, Medina explains that scientists still cannot fully explain how the brain functions to enable a human to pick up a glass of water. Yet, many mythologies emerge from limited neuroscientific research. Medina only includes research in his books that has undergone rigorous peer review and replication. Therefore, he acknowledges that often the research is insufficient to provide definitive answers to questions about cognitive development and well-being, such as in the case of teens and social media.

Medina has written many other books on neuroscience with specific applications. Attack of the Teenage Brain! Understanding and Supporting the Weird and Wonderful Adolescent Learner takes an entertaining approach to parenting teenagers. Brain Rules for Aging Well and Brain Rules for Baby show Medina’s range and the depth of his interest in neuroscience. Medina translates complex science to accessible and engaging content that provides practical approaches for preserving and developing neural functioning. Medina has published many other works, including Depression: How It Happens, How It’s Healed; What You Need to Know About Alzheimer’s; The Genetic Inferno: Inside the Seven Deadly Sins; and The Outer Limits of Life. Medina is also a devout Christian and relates his curiosity to his theology. He suggests that a deep curiosity will always lead to an encounter with Jesus.