Carlos Brody

Carlos Brody is the Wilbur H. Gantz III '59 Professor of Neuroscience at Princeton University, where he leads a research group at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute. His laboratory employs a unique combination of computational, behavioral, and electrophysiological techniques to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive abilities.

Dr. Brody's research focuses on understanding how the brain processes information during cognitive tasks, particularly examining short-term memory, decision-making, and time perception. His lab trains rats to perform complex cognitive tasks while recording neural activity, and develops computational models to explain the experimental findings. They have pioneered the study of 'internal signals' in neural activity that constitute 'the internal conversation of the mind,' with their key discovery being 'nTc' (Neurally-inferred Time of Commitment), a biomarker that indicates decision commitment before overt behavioral responses.

Dr. Brody's laboratory has been continuously supported by HHMI (Howard Hughes Medical Institute) with renewal until 2032. They are currently conducting groundbreaking research using multiple Neuropixels probes for large-scale recordings across the brain while rats perform cognitive behaviors, representing what Dr. Brody considers the future of cognitive systems neuroscience that combines advanced recording technology, AI-based analysis, and well-controlled behavioral paradigms.

Scientific Awards

• HHMI Investigator (renewed until 2032)

Advising and Research Support

Dr. Brody has mentored numerous successful researchers who have secured faculty positions and leadership roles:

• Marino Pagan (Nature publication, SFARI Bridge to Independence Award)
• Edward Nieh (faculty position at University of Virginia)
• Manuel Schottdorf (Nature publication)
• Sue Ann Koay (publications in Neuron and eLife, Group Leader at Janelia)
• Brian DePasquale (faculty position at Boston University)
• Emily Dennis (Group Leader at HHMI's Janelia)
• Ahmed El Hady (Group Leader at Max Planck Institute)
• Abby Russo (joined CTRL-Labs startup)
• Diksha Gupta (Best Paper Award at RLDM conference)

His lab is currently supported by HHMI funding and is planning to implement next-generation Neuropixels probes in Spring 2025 to record from 6,000-12,000 neurons simultaneously across multiple brain regions.

Research Team and Facilities

The Brody Lab features a diverse team ranging from purely computational to purely experimental researchers. The lab emphasizes minimizing barriers between computational and experimental approaches, encouraging researchers to move freely along this spectrum based on their interests. They maintain state-of-the-art facilities for behavioral training, electrophysiological recordings, and computational analysis, with plans to implement next-generation Neuropixels recording technology in Spring 2025.