Lea Duncker

Dr. Lea Duncker is an Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at Columbia University's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and a Principal Investigator at the Zuckerman Institute. She is also a member of Columbia's Center for Theoretical Neuroscience and holds an appointment at Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Duncker joined Columbia in 2024, bringing her expertise in computational neuroscience to one of the world's leading neuroscience research institutions.

Dr. Duncker's research focuses on uncovering the computational principles by which the brain's cells orchestrate diverse behaviors. Her work bridges theoretical modeling and experimental data analysis to understand:

• Mathematical models of movement diversity
• Learning and decision-making processes
• Network-level mechanisms for brain flexibility and adaptability
• Statistical analysis of neural population recordings using machine learning

Her recent publications demonstrate expertise in variational inference methods, neural dynamics modeling, and representational drift analysis. Dr. Duncker emphasizes the integration of theoretical and experimental approaches, stating: 'I like to have one foot in experimental data and one foot in theory because I think that is a formula for making important discoveries in neuroscience.'

Dr. Duncker has received notable recognition including:

• Simons Foundation Transition To Independence Award (2022)

As a new faculty member at Columbia, Dr. Duncker is establishing her research program with opportunities for collaboration across the university's extensive neuroscience community. Her lab focuses on developing computational frameworks that bridge theoretical neuroscience with experimental data to uncover fundamental principles of brain function and behavior.