We strongly believe that it is essential to ground experimental neuroscience in a firm theoretical context. We support research and collaboration at three world-class centres for theoretical neuroscience across the globe.
As theoreticians propose which aspects of observed patterns of activity are crucial, this can be tested experimentally by perturbing only those aspects of the total observed pattern. These computational models will contribute not only to refining data analysis, but will also lead to new theories about network function, and generate new predictions for further experiments.
Our pioneering investment in neuroscience began in the 1990s with the establishment of the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit at University College London. The Unit provided a unique opportunity for a critical mass of theoreticians to interact closely with each other.
We also support theoretical neuroscience at Columbia University’s Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience, and the Interdisciplinary Centre for Neural Computation at Hebrew University, and are continuing to build links to promote collaboration between the three centres.
Projects
We established this unit in 1998 at University College London (UCL) to provide a unique opportunity for a critical mass of theoreticians to interact closely with each other and with UCL’s other world-class research groups in neuroscience and related areas.
We are supporting research at this centre in Israel to advance our understanding of the principles of dynamics and function in the cortex, and helping the centre foster collaborations with other institutes in the UK and the USA with overlapping interests.
Since 2005 we have supported experimental and theoretical neuroscience at Columbia University through new faculty recruitment, grants for innovative research projects, and the forging of links with other institutes for international collaboration.