Our research seeks to uncover how the brain supports adaptive behavior when outcomes are uncertain and ever-changing. Central to this is hierarchical performance monitoring: feedback loops that operate on different timescales, from rapid error correction to slower evaluation and updating of internal models. Another focus is causal inference — distinguishing whether an error arises from one’s own action or from external variability, a distinction that shapes future adjustments.

In humans, we focus on behavior and non-invasive physiological signals in visuomotor cognitive tasks. These tasks guide mechanistic computational models and inform NHP experiments. NHPs offer the opportunity to investigate brain function at high spatial resolution. Our lab uses multi-areal, layer-resolved recordings and causal perturbations in the medial frontal and prefrontal cortical areas. This allows us to describe cortical function at the level of laminar microcircuitry. Our lab is among the first to combine laminar recordings with simultaneous EEG, enabling a direct bridge between microcircuits and scalp signals.

By linking behavioral measures, non-invasive biomarkers, and intracranial circuitry, our goal is to make EEG and related signals more precise indicators of cognitive function. This approach holds translational promise for distinguishing healthy cognitive adaptation from dysfunction in psychiatric and neurological disorders.

The questions C³ lab addresses are:

By answering these questions, the C³ lab strives toward a future where straightforward behavioral and physiological measurements can yield meaningful insights into cognitive state and brain health. 

While we do basic research, we are deeply motivated by questions of translational value; so we seek collaborators who share our vision and can help bring our research from lab to life.