Thomas Papouin

Thomas Papouin serves as an Assistant Professor in the School of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis, where he leads the Papouin Lab focused on astrocyte research in neural systems.

His research program fundamentally challenges neuron-centric models of brain function by investigating how astrocytes—star-shaped glial cells—contribute to cognitive processes and information processing. Key research emphases include:

• Mechanistic roles of astrocytes in brain computation
• Astrocyte-neuron signaling dynamics in cognition
• Computational modeling of astrocyte-mediated neural circuit functions
• Impact of astrocyte dysfunction on cognitive disorders

Dr. Papouin's work positions astrocytes as active computational elements rather than passive support cells, with implications for understanding neurological diseases. His laboratory maintains an active research presence through the official university portal and professional social engagement.