Fundação Champalimaud
ABOUT
Systems Neuroscience
Mainen Lab
We do not perceive the world directly. Rather, our brains must decipher what is out there using the window of information we receive from our senses. The result of this process is referred to as a ‘model’ of the world. Understanding how brains construct and use internal models is a central problem in neuroscience. This problem can be approached by thinking of the brain as a kind of an intuitive scientist, collecting and analysing data, constructing and testing hypotheses based on those data, and revising them in light of new data. Each brain gets different data and produces a different model, making the beliefs that guide our actions subjective and sometimes wrong. Fortunately, like a good scientist, our brains can and do evaluate the quality of the data. This gives us a sense of confidence in our beliefs and decisions, helping us to know when our subjective reality is worth acting on and when to question it. Understanding how all this works in terms of neural circuits is the long-term goal of research in the Systems Neuroscience lab.
Info
Main Interests
How brains use perceptual information to create and act on models of the world, the role of confidence, uncertainty and neuromodulators in these processes
Methods
Optogenetics, Theory, Behaviour, Electrophysiology
Models and Regions
Rats, Mice, Humans / Cortex and Raphe Nuclei
Opportunities
If you are interested in joining our group, please contact Zachary Mainen at the email address bellow.
zmainen@neuro.fchampalimaud.org
Lab Webpage
mainenlab.orgPROJECTS
Systems Neuroscience
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TEAM
Systems Neuroscience
Know our Team
Zachary Mainen, PhD
Principal Investigator
Madalena Fonseca
2013 INDP PhD Student
Pietro Vertechi
2014 INDP PhD Student
Dario Sarra
2016 INDP PhD Student
Kcénia Bougrova
2017 INDP PhD Student
Solène Sautory
2017 INDP PhD Student
Tiago Quendera
2017 INDP PhD Student
Catarina Pimentel, PhD
Lab Manager
Lucas Soares
Masters Student
Cindy Poo, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Eric Dewitt, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Fanny Cazettes, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Gautam Agarwal, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Guido Meijer, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Hanne Stensola, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Mattia Bergomi, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Niccolò Bonacchi, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Romain Ligneul, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Tor Stensola, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher
Beatriz Godinho
Research Assistant
Inês Laranjeira
Research Technician
José Miguel Teixeira
Research Technician
Margarida Duarte, PhD
Research Technician
Megha Patwa
Research Technician
Olivier Winter
Senior Technician
Eleni Smaradgi
Technician
Margarida Nunes
Lab Administrator
PUBLICATIONS
Know our Publications
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Fundação Champalimaud