Coined CEREBRA, our project aims to unravel the adaptive and evolving dynamic processes that underpin the behavior of synapses, which are key in how learning and computation work in the human brain. This is known as neuroplasticity, which includes synaptic plasticity.

​

The project has three overall goals:

​

• To uncover the molecular mechanisms of induction and maintenance of long-term plasticity, specifically, long-term potentiation.

• To discover unknown dynamic properties of synaptic function by proposing novel adaptive dynamical models and control tools. The proposed models will include the evolving nature of the interactions of electro-biochemical elements defining the neuronal-synaptic structure.

• To create a biosynthetic neuron-on-a-chip to reproduce the key signaling pathways of neuronal function, which will be called "pseudo-neuron". For this, CEREBRA will build a novel bioelectronic set-up, a unique substrate alternative to complementary metal-oxide semiconductors that will lead to new rules for computation of intelligent systems.

All this together will facilitate the creation of a new computation environment based on the biochemistry of learning and will permit the discovery of new biomarkers for a better diagnosis of various brain diseases and disorders.