Dr Andre Ferreira Castro

Interests

My research has thus far been driven by my fascination with the relationship between shape and function in neuroscience. My particular focus has been on understanding how distinct neuronal structural patterns emerge during development and enable the manipulation of sensory and biological signals. To this end, I have designed experiments and created tools for quantifying and modelling structural changes in circuits during development, learning, or after mutations. Thanks to modern advancements in electron microscopy, neuroscience has entered a revolutionary new era, where whole-circuit modelling and comparative connectomics are viable. My multi-disciplinary research, which combines connectomics datasets, computational modelling, mathematical theory, and machine learning, endeavors to uncover new neurobiological mechanisms, as well as inform more efficient machine learning algorithms.

Research Focus

Equipment

Calcium imaging

Computational modelling

Confocal microscopy

Electrophysiological recording techniques

Microscopy