Laboratory for Theoretical Neuroscience and Behavior
Hello!
Our lab is affiliated with the Biology Graduate Program at Scripps Research and the Neurosciences Graduate Program at UCSD. We welcome postdoctoral scholars directly into the lab or through the Scripps Fellows program.
Want to join us? Contact Ann with inquiries about openings at the undergraduate, postdoctoral, or staff scientist level! Prospective graduate students, please apply through Scripps or UCSD.
Current Lab Members
Ann Kennedy
Associate Professor
I am a theoretical neuroscientist interested in understanding how the structure of our nervous system gives rise to its function. Originally from Virginia, I studied Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins and Neuroscience at Columbia University, where I earned my PhD in the lab of Larry Abbott in the Center for Theoretical Neuroscience. I pursued postdoctoral training in the lab of David Anderson at Caltech, I opened my lab at Northwestern University in 2020, and moved to Scripps Research in 2024. I love hiking, reading about science; the first grant I ever got was to draw comics.
Richard Gast
Postdoctoral Scholar
I joined the Kennedy Lab in 2022, after finishing my PhD with Thomas Knöesche at the Brain Networks Group of the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Germany. My research is focused on computation through dynamics in spiking neural networks, using a range of methods from dynamical systems theory, statistical physics, and machine learning. Most recently, I have been studying the role of neural heterogeneity in controlling neurocomputational states of brain circuits.
Shotaro Takasu
Postdoctoral Scholar
I joined the Kennedy lab as a postdoctoral researcher in 2025. I earned my PhD from Kyoto University under the supervision of Professor Toshio Aoyagi. Before joining the Kennedy lab, I practiced as a board-certified psychiatrist in Japan for 8 years, during which I also conducted clinical research. My research focuses on the interplay between neural dynamics and representation learning of the brain. To tackle this problem, I employ mathematical frameworks from statistical physics and dynamical systems theory, combined with computer simulations. Furthermore, I am interested in elucidating the underlying mechanisms of mental disorders from a theoretical perspective.
Sebastian Malagon Perez
Graduate Student
I am currently a graduate student in the NUIN program at Northwestern University. Prior to this, I gained valuable research experience at the Sensorimotor Integration lab located at the Champalimaud Center for the Unknown in Lisbon, Portugal, working under the supervision of Eugenia Chiappe. My research is primarily centered on the application of computational tools for the analysis of animal behavior, with a particular focus on unveiling behavior patterns across various time scales. This approach allows us to gain insights into the internal states of animals during social interactions, shedding light on the computations and neural correlates within various nuclei in the hypothalamus. Outside the lab I get lost in nature, swim and dive with my GoPro, play volleyball, and search for hidden gems of food.
Ruize Yang
Graduate Student
I am a graduate student in the Kennedy lab. I received my BS in Biology from Tsinghua University and MS in Bioinformatics from Georgia Tech. I am interested in applying different methods to analyze animal behavior and its connection to neural activity. Outside the lab, I enjoy movies, music, books, and minesweeper.
Ryan Lu
Graduate Student
I’m a graduate-phase MD/PhD student in the lab. I graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 2020 with a BS in Biomedical Engineering. There, I spent time studying the head direction network with Dr. Kechen Zhang. I am broadly interested in utilizing network models to understand neural computation and behavior. Outside of lab, I enjoy running, rock climbing, cooking, reading, and photography.
Max Weinberg
Graduate Student
I am a graduate student in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at UCSD. Previously, I was an undergraduate and masters student in the lab of Joe Bergan at Umass Amherst, where I worked on developing tools for the unsupervised classification of behavior. I am broadly interested in understanding how information is encoded in populations of neurons and how that changes with time. Outside of lab, I enjoy running, reading, watching movies, and hanging out with friends.
Tiange Hou
Graduate Student
I am a graduate student at the Scripps Research Institute. I graduated from UC Davis with a B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, and then received my master’s in Interactive Telecommunications from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. I am broadly interested in how animals survive in dynamic environments, and in using computational approaches to study behavior and neural computation. Outside the lab, I enjoy arts and video games.
Sofina Yang
Undergrad
I am an undergraduate Computer Engineering student at UC San Diego with a minor in Cognitive Science. My research interests lie at the intersection of computer vision and neuroscience, where I enjoy applying engineering principles to better understand biological systems. Beyond the lab, I am a member of a campus robotics team, collaborating with fellow engineers on hardware-software integration. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, playing tennis, and hiking around the local trails.
Siya Sathaye
Undergrad
I am an undergraduate Data Science student at University of California, San Diego. I am particularly interested in applying machine learning and computational methods to better understand biological systems and hope to further explore the role of AI in future clinical workflows. Beyond the lab, I am involved with HealthLink at UC San Diego and enjoy participating in a variety of data science projects. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, swimming, and thrifting.