Darshan Lab: Theoretical & Computational Neuroscience

Uncovering the Organizational Principles of the Brain: How Connectivity and Neural Activity Drive Learning and Behavior

The Darshan Lab is striving to understand how the brain works “under the hood.” By combining advanced mathematics, physics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and control theory. The team is developing computational models and theories that translate vast amounts of experimental data into a mechanistic understanding of the brain, in order to decode how networks of millions of neurons organize, function, and change to enable complex learning and cognitive processes.

Research Focus

Brain Structure: Revealing the hidden organizational rules governing the connectivity between neurons within neural circuits.
Neural Dynamics: Understanding how these structural principles generate the complex neural activity that allows us to think and act.
Learning and Adaptation: Investigating how learning reshapes both the brain’s structure and its dynamics, enabling us to adapt to our environment.

Capabilities & Tools- powerful, multidisciplinary toolkit to bridge the gap between theory and data:

Theory-Data Integration: Rigorously validating theories against experimental data to generate actionable predictions.
Advanced Modeling: Moving beyond simplified models to develop complex simulations that reflect biological reality.
Strategic Collaboration: Working in close partnership with experimental laboratories to verify and refine our computational models.

Partnership & Service Opportunities in different industries:

Pharma & Healthcare: Developing mechanistic models of neurological disorders, in silico drug target discovery, and analyzing the impact of brain stimulation (Neuromodulation).
Technology & AI: Leveraging AI to discover physiological rules within the brain and analyzing the “Expressivity” (computational power) of neural networks.
Data Analysis: Assisting in the interpretation and processing of large-scale, complex neural datasets.