Richard Naud

Richard Naud is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, with a cross-appointment in Physics at the Faculty of Science. He holds dual research positions at the Center for Neural Dynamics (CND) and Brain and Mind Research Institute (BMRI), focusing on computational approaches to decode neural signaling mechanisms and develop brain-machine interfaces.

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Neuroscience from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 2011
• MSc in Physics from McGill University, 2006
• BSc in Physics from McGill University, 2004

Dr. Naud's research investigates how neurons encode information through spikes, bursts, and silences using mathematical models and statistical analysis of electrophysiology data. His lab develops computational protocols for synaptic dynamics analysis, studies dendritic computation in neurological diseases, and creates neuromorphic algorithms for spiking neural networks. Current work emphasizes serotonin system dynamics, burst coding mechanisms, and neural network simulations for demyelinating conditions.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals three dominant research vectors: (1) Burst coding as an independent information channel beyond firing rates, (2) Serotonin-mediated value coding in decision systems, and (3) Neuromorphic implementation of biologically plausible learning rules. His work bridges theoretical neuroscience with clinical applications in stroke recovery and neurological disorders.

Dr. Naud leads the Neural Coding Lab, which actively recruits postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduates for projects in neural coding theory, computational psychiatry, and neuromorphic engineering. The lab maintains collaborations with experimental neuroscience groups for model validation and develops open-source tools like SRPlasticity for synaptic dynamics analysis.