Dr Andre Ferreira Castro

Interests

So far my research has been driven by a deep fascination for the shape–function relationship in neuroscience. I have been particularly interested in understanding how neuronal structural patterns combined with rich neuronal dynamics provide the background for complex manipulations of signals representing internal and external worlds. Recently, neuroscience entered a post-connectome stage. At this new exciting phase whole-circuit modelling and comparative connectomics are a reality, with numerous fascinating questions becoming amenable for scientific probing for the first time. Discovering the mechanisms underlying whole circuit function is fundamental to understand, learning, memory and dissecting how abnormalities in neuronal patterning arise in neuropsychiatric disorders. Additionally, analysing the design principles of the wiring diagram of the nervous system may suggest a path toward new Artificial Neural Networks algorithms.

Research Focus

Equipment

Computational modelling

Confocal microscopy