Evolutionary optimization of neuronal processing

We are investigating the functional organization of visual processing in the avian pallium, focusing on key structures in the visual pathways that appear to form a canonical cortex-like circuit. Using modern neurophysiological methods, including dense electrode array recordings and histological staining, we aim to characterize the connectivity and functional mapping of these regions. Our central goal is to understand how birds support sophisticated visually-guided behaviors, despite lacking a layered neocortex, and to offer new insight into the necessary and sufficient processes of complex visual processing across vertebrates.

Causality and neural dynamics of context and generalization

Numerous studies in psychology and neuroscience highlight the importance of “context.” Interestingly, what exactly constitutes context remains poorly defined. Using extinction learning as a framework, we demonstrate that context is not a given but rather something that is learned. We identify key properties that enable stimuli to function as contextual cues and offer a mechanistic explanation of how a stimulus becomes context. This work informs theoretical models of context-dependent behavior, such as extinction learning, and offers a foundation for novel experimental designs.