Prof Andrea Benucci
Professor in Visual Neuroscience
School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
visual perception, visual cortex, optogenetics, optical imaging, animal behavior, artificial neural networks
Interests
I research the neural mechanisms involved in visual processing adopting a research framework capable of linking neural architectures to the underlying computations. My preferred approach involves integrating experimental methods for optically dissecting neuronal circuits (optical imaging and patterned optogenetics) with large-scale dynamic network models based on artificial neural networks (aNNs). Computation within artificial neural networks arises from connectivity principles among units, inspired by how biological networks perform computations. Therefore, aNNs serve as an effective ‘mechanistic’ modelling framework for integrating computational, algorithmic, and implementation levels of analysis. I employ this unified computational and experimental approach to uncover the principles of neural computation that underlie visual perception.To learn more about my work and opportunities to join my laboratory visit www.benuccilab.net
Publications
Publications of specific relevance to the Centre for Brain and Behaviour2024
Lyamzin DR, Alamia A, Abdolrahmani M, Aoki R and Benucci A (2024). Regularizing hyperparameters of interacting neural signals in the mouse cortex reflect states of arousal. PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science (PLoS) vol. 20 (10) 15-10-2024
Bolaños F, Orlandi JG, Aoki R, Jagadeesh AV, Gardner JL and Benucci A (2024). Efficient coding of natural images in the mouse visual cortex. Nature Communications, Springer Nature vol. 15 (1) 19-03-2024
2023
Young TR, Yamamoto M, Kikuchi SS, Yoshida AC, Abe T, Inoue K, Johansen JP, Benucci A, Yoshimura Y and Shimogori T (2023). Thalamocortical control of cell-type specificity drives circuits for processing whisker-related information in mouse barrel cortex. Nature Communications, Springer Nature vol. 14 (1) 28-09-2023
Orlandi JG, Abdolrahmani M, Aoki R, Lyamzin DR and Benucci A (2023). Distributed context-dependent choice information in mouse posterior cortex. Nature Communications, Springer Nature vol. 14 (1) 12-01-2023
2021
Lyamzin DR, Aoki R, Abdolrahmani M and Benucci A (2021). Probabilistic discrimination of relative stimulus features in mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences vol. 118 (30) 23-07-2021
2017
Aoki R, Tsubota T, Goya Y and Benucci A (2017). An automated platform for high-throughput mouse behavior and physiology with voluntary head-fixation. Nature Communications, Springer Nature vol. 8 (1) 30-10-2017
2015
Madisen L, Garner AR, Shimaoka D, Chuong AS, Klapoetke NC, Li L, van der Bourg A, Niino Y, Egolf L, Monetti C, Gu H, Mills M, Cheng A, Tasic B, Nguyen TN, Sunkin SM, Benucci A, Nagy A, Miyawaki A, Helmchen F, et al. (2015). Transgenic Mice for Intersectional Targeting of Neural Sensors and Effectors with High Specificity and Performance. Neuron, Elsevier vol. 85 (5), 942-958. 01-03-2015
2013
Benucci A, Saleem AB and Carandini M (2013). Adaptation maintains population homeostasis in primary visual cortex. Nature Neuroscience, Springer Nature vol. 16 (6), 724-729. 21-04-2013
2012
Pearson RA, Barber AC, Rizzi M, Hippert C, Xue T, West EL, Duran Y, Smith AJ, Chuang JZ, Azam SA, Luhmann UFO, Benucci A, Sung CH, Bainbridge JW, Carandini M, Yau K-W, Sowden JC and Ali RR (2012). Restoration of vision after transplantation of photoreceptors. Nature, Springer Nature vol. 485 (7396), 99-103. 18-04-2012
2009
Benucci A, Ringach DL and Carandini M (2009). Coding of stimulus sequences by population responses in visual cortex. Nature Neuroscience, Springer Nature vol. 12 (10), 1317-1324. 13-09-2009
2007
Benucci A, Frazor RA and Carandini M (2007). Standing Waves and Traveling Waves Distinguish Two Circuits in Visual Cortex. Neuron, Elsevier vol. 55 (1), 103-117. 01-07-2007