Biophysics of Neural Computation

The brain continuously processes information. The physical structure of the brain (its ‘hardware’) shapes this information processing and vice versa: the computations needed for information processing (the ‘software’) are adapted to the physical structure of the hardware. In the ‘Biophysics of Neural Computation’ group, we study the relationship between the physical properties of the brain and its information processing: how are neurons and networks formed so that they can perform functions such as perception? Which characteristics of neurons and networks enhance or limit information transfer? We as humans still strongly outperform machines and computers in tasks such as facial recognition or adaptation to changes in illumination. Understanding how the brain does this can help us improve the performance of such devices. My group studies these questions using a variety of theoretical methods, from (biophysical) neural network modelling to abstract coding models and advanced data analysis of experimental data. We collaborate closely with experimental neuroscientists, studying neurons, networks, and behaviour, unraveling together the fundamental functions of the brain.