Professor Dr. Haim Sompolinsky

Biography

Haim Sompolinsky is a Professor at Harvard University in the Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology. His research focuses on uncovering fundamental principles of organization, dynamics, and function of the brain through a multiscale approach that spans molecular, cellular, and circuit levels. Sompolinsky has developed new theoretical approaches in computational neuroscience based on the principles of statistical physics and dynamical stochastic systems. His contributions have established a new field known as Neurophysics. His research areas include theoretical and computational investigations into cortical dynamics, sensory processing, motor control, neuronal population coding, and memory mechanisms such as long- and short-term memory and neural learning. Notable highlights of his work involve developing theories and models for local cortical circuits and the visual cortex, exploring associative memory, and understanding statistical mechanics in learning and chaos in neuronal networks. Additionally, he studies the neuronal mechanisms of volition and their implications for the foundations of human freedom and agency.

Research Interests