Dr. Sandeep Datta

Biography

Sandeep Datta is a Professor of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School. His research focuses on understanding how the brain constructs meaningful patterns of movement in unrestrained settings, allowing for spontaneous and self-generated behavior in animals. The Datta Lab studies natural behaviors that occur when animals are free to act according to their own goals, utilizing a variety of interdisciplinary techniques including functional imaging, closed-loop optogenetics, and machine learning methods. A key area of investigation is how sensory motor systems are intertwined to support cognition, particularly through the study of olfaction, which is vital for understanding behaviors driven by smell in laboratory mice. Datta's aim is to reveal how the brain supports natural behavior shaped by internal drives and external cues, shedding light on the complex narratives of animal interaction with their environment. He embraces an ethological perspective, addressing the challenges in neuroscience to explore how the brain develops characteristically over a lifespan through dynamic learning and experience. His work seeks to unlock fundamental questions about the intersections of sensation and action and how these relate to natural behaviors.

Research Interests

Experience