Daniel Wagenaar

Daniel Wagenaar is a Research Professor in the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), co-directing the Chen Center for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DataSAI). He leads the Wagenaar Lab and Neurotechnology Laboratory, focusing on neuronal basis of sensory processing, cross-modal integration in leeches, and neurotechnology. His work bridges experimental neuroscience, computational methods, and engineering, with contributions to voltage-sensitive dye imaging, multi-electrode array (MEA) techniques, and open-source software tools like VScope and MEABench.

Education: M.S. degrees from University of Amsterdam (1997) and King's College London (1998), Ph.D. in Biology from Caltech (2006). Research emphasizes functional neural circuits, sensory-guided behavior, and neurotechnological innovations. His lab develops novel tools for neural activity recording and analysis, including double-sided microscopy and optogenetic technologies. Funding sources include NIH, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, and Caltech.

Key contributions include elucidating leech neural circuits, hormone-activated courtship behaviors, and high-density neural recording in primates. Awards and recognition include sustained research excellence in systems neuroscience. Advising includes mentorship in neurobiology, engineering, and computational neuroscience. Ongoing work explores brain-wide neural dynamics and translational neurotechnologies.