Virtual brain lab brings together world-leading neuroscientists

Twenty one leading neuroscience groups from around the world, including seven from UCL, have formed a 'virtual brain lab' to test how the brain controls learning and decision making. The £10 million International Brain Lab brings together groups from UK, USA, France, Switzerland and Portugal to uncover how complex networks of brain cells support our ability to learn and make decisions. This new initiative, jointly funded by the Simons Foundation and Wellcome, involves seven research groups from across multiple UCL Faculties. These will be led by:  o Professor Matteo Carandini (UCL Brain Sciences) o Professor Peter Dayan (UCL Life Sciences)  o Professor Kenneth Harris (UCL Brain Sciences) o Professor Michael Hausser (UCL Medical Sciences) o Dr Sonja Hofer (joining the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, UCL in 2018) o Professor Peter Latham (UCL Life Sciences) o Professor Thomas Mrsic-Flogel (Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, UCL) The different groups will work together to collectively understand a single behaviour in mice, a novel approach that will enable greater insight than any single lab could achieve alone. Understanding the brain's mechanisms of learning and decision making is a crucial first step towards identifying the network dysfunctions that underlie mental health disorders. The International Brain Lab presents a new model for neuroscience research, with investigators around the world working together, making use of an open platform for experiments, data organisation and data processing to enable joined-up working between labs in different locations.