Dr. Marcus Benna

Biography

Marcus Benna studied Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, receiving both a BA and an MSci. He obtained his PhD in Physics from Princeton University, after which he pursued postdoctoral research at the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics at Stony Brook University and the Center for Theoretical Neuroscience at Columbia University. His research investigates open problems in computational neuroscience, focusing on areas such as synaptic plasticity, memory consolidation, continual learning, representational geometry, and efficient coding. By examining recordings of neural activity and developing targeted data analysis methods, he aims to construct theoretical frameworks to illuminate the mechanisms of biological computation. A central goal of his research is to understand how learning and memory operate under the resource constraints of the biological brain, which performs complex functions using noisy and severely limited neuronal components. Through constructing normative mathematical models of brain circuits and testing them against experimental data, Benna seeks to clarify the limitations and uncover the underlying computational principles of neural processing.

Research Interests