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Masakazu Taira received his Bachelor of Science from Soka University and commenced his PhD at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST). His doctoral research focused on the role of serotonergic neurons in reward-related behaviors in mice, employing advanced neuroscientific techniques such as optogenetics and computational analysis. Upon completing his PhD, Taira moved to the University of California, Los Angeles, as a postdoctoral fellow, where he investigated the specific roles of dopamine neurons in reinforcement learning by utilizing fiber photometry to record dopamine release. In 2023, he joined the University of Sydney as a postdoctoral researcher, concentrating on understanding neural circuit model-based learning through decision-making tasks in rats. His research is supported by various grants, including funding for travel to RLDM2025 lab visits and awards aimed at furthering early and mid-career research endeavors.
University of Sydney • Sydney, Australia
Working on understanding neural circuit model-based learning using decision making tasks in rats.
This entry applies to Faculty of Science PhD programs including Departments such as Life and Environmental Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics and Statistics.