Overview
We study circuits for cognition. Using a combination of neurophysiology and biomedical engineering, we focus on the interaction between brain areas during visual perception, decision-making, and motor planning. Specific projects include the role of frontal cortex in metacognition, the role of cerebellar-frontal circuits in action timing, the neural basis of "good enough" decision-making (satisficing), and the neural mechanisms of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
·
2023 - Present
Biomedical Engineering,
Pratt School of Engineering
Director of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences
·
2025 - Present
Duke Institute for Brain Sciences,
University Institutes and Centers
Associate Professor in Neurobiology
·
2011 - Present
Neurobiology,
Basic Science Departments
Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience
·
2024 - Present
Psychology & Neuroscience,
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Investigator in the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences
·
2010 - Present
Duke Institute for Brain Sciences,
University Institutes and Centers
Member of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience
·
2010 - Present
Center for Cognitive Neuroscience,
Duke Institute for Brain Sciences
Associate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society
·
2017 - Present
Duke Science & Society,
University Initiatives & Academic Support Units
Recent Publications
Optogenetic Manipulation of Covert Attention in the Nonhuman Primate.
Journal Article Journal of cognitive neuroscience · February 2025 Optogenetics affords new opportunities to interrogate neuronal circuits that control behavior. In primates, the usefulness of optogenetics in studying cognitive functions remains a challenge. The technique has been successfully wielded, but behavioral effe ... Full text CiteFrontal eye field neurons predict “anti-Bayesian” but not Bayesian judgments of visual stability across saccades
Preprint · 2025 Full text CiteCircuits and mechanisms for TMS-induced corticospinal waves: Connecting sensitivity analysis to the network graph.
Journal Article PLoS Comput Biol · December 2024 Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive, FDA-cleared treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders with broad potential for new applications, but the neural circuits that are engaged during TMS are still poorly understood. Recordings of neural ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Neurobiology Training Program
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2029Visual signaling from retina to superior colliculus
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of California - Los Angeles · 2023 - 2028Dissecting inhibitory mechanisms and their contribution to information processing in retinal ganglion cells.
FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 2027View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
Massachusetts Institute of Technology ·
1995
Ph.D.