Geoffrey Goodhill

Geoffrey Goodhill is Professor of Neuroscience and Professor of Developmental Biology at Washington University School of Medicine, where he directs the Center for Theoretical & Computational Neuroscience. His laboratory bridges experimental and theoretical approaches to study brain development.

Goodhill earned his BSc in Mathematics and Physics from the University of Bristol (1986), MSc in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Edinburgh (1988), and PhD in Cognitive Science from the University of Sussex (1992). His postdoctoral training included a Medical Research Council Fellowship and a Sloan Theoretical Neuroscience Fellowship at the Salk Institute.

His research focuses on computational principles of brain development, particularly using larval zebrafish to investigate neural coding development, behavioral emergence, and alterations in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Key projects examine

• neural coding and spontaneous activity patterns
• zebrafish behavioral development
• autism-related circuit dysfunction
• calcium imaging analysis methods
• historical work on axon guidance mechanisms

His recent publications show a clear trajectory from molecular gradient studies toward complex systems neuroscience using zebrafish models.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Paxinos-Watson Prize (2012)
• Elspeth McLachlan Plenary Lecture (2019)
• Keynote at Computational Neuroscience Meeting (2020)
• Sloan Theoretical Neuroscience Fellowship (1995)

The Goodhill Lab maintains an interdisciplinary team with backgrounds in biology, mathematics, physics and engineering. Current research analyzes human video data for early autism detection while continuing zebrafish neural circuit investigations. The lab has received consistent funding for its innovative approaches to developmental neuroscience questions.