Welcome to the Computational Sensorimotor Neuroscience lab!
Arguably, the brain has evolved to generate movement; if we
didn't have to move, we would not need a brain. Therefore, we
believe that studying sensorimotor control - how sensory
tactile, visual etc information is transformed into
goal-directed actions - provides us with a unique window into
the inner workings of the brain. We also study aspects of
behaviour that support or arise from sensorimotor control
needs, such as attention, working memory or perception.
Current studies include the following:
- Visuomotor transformations and multi-sensory integration
for arm and eye and whole-body movements
- Understanding pupil dynamics in structured and
unstructured tasks
- Saccade-smooth pursuit interactions
- Explainable NeuroAI in artificial and spiking neural
networks of motor control
In my lab, we take a computational approach to sensorimotor
neuroscience. Computational modeling is essential for our
understanding of neural mechanisms because they formalize
hypotheses and make new testable predictions to conduct exciting
research lines. However, to make the best out of a model, it
needs constant experimental testing and feedback. Therefore, we
combine the following experimental and modeling techniques:
- (spiking) neural networks, state-space, Bayesian, RL
and other models (main approach)
- behavioural experiments and psychophysics
- brain imaging, e.g. magnetoencephalography (MEG), EEG
- patient/lesion studies (only through collaborations)
- brain stimulation (tDCS)
The main goal of all the research conducted in my lab is to gain
a fundamental understanding of brain function. Through
collaborations, we then aim to propose new frameworks for brain
dysfunction, and to develop new analytic tools and technologies
that might help in clinical practice, where possible.
Please
also check out our lab ethos!
We are part of the
Department
of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences (
Faculty of Health Science)
and the
Faculty of Arts
& Science and hosted within the
Centre for Neuroscience
Studies and the
Ingenuity Labs
Research Institute at
Queen's
University. I am cross-appointed to the
School of Computing, the
Department
of Psychology as well as to the
Department of Mathematics
and Statistics. We are also part of the
Connected
Minds CFREF program.
For any questions or inquiries please don't hesitate to contact
me.
Dr. Gunnar Blohm (
gunnar.blohm@queensu.ca)
Welcome