Computational Principles of Natural Sensory Processing

Our group works on computational principles of how the brain processes information. We are interested in how sensory processing in the brain is shaped by the animal's need to create parsimonious representations of events in the outside world. Our approaches are often derived from methods in statistical physics, mathematics, and information theory.

We also work on methods for analyzing neural data, including methods for analyzing neural responses to natural stimuli, such as a short video clip or sound recording during a stroll on a forest trail. In the past, scientists had to rely on simplified objects on a computer screen or random stimuli to garner information on how the brain processes visual information. Natural stimuli are often much better for probing neural responses than noise stimuli. Using approaches designed to work with natural stimuli, we hope to achieve a more complete picture of how the brain processes information.

External Links:

• Computational Neurobiology Laboratory at the Salk Institute
• Crick-Jacobs Center for Theoretical and Computational Biology
• Center for Theoretical Biological Physics at UCSD
• Neuroscience at Salk/UCSD