Nacho Sanguinetti

Nacho Sanguinetti is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in Cognitive Neuroethology. His research focuses on uncovering the biological mechanisms underlying adaptive cognitive processes in wild animals, particularly rodents. He leads the Cognitive Neuroethology Lab, exploring play behavior's role in cognitive development and studying the neural basis of behavioral flexibility in agoutis, a South American rodent.

Education includes a BSc and MSc from Universidad de la República (Uruguay), a PhD from Humboldt University of Berlin, and postdoctoral training at Harvard University. He emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration to advance understanding of cognition in natural contexts. Current research priorities include investigating how play influences adult intelligence and establishing agoutis as a model for studying complex cognitive abilities like strategic decision-making.

Professor Sanguinetti is accepting graduate students for Fall 2025 admissions. His work bridges neuroscience, ethology, and ecology, aiming to expand traditional models beyond lab settings to wild animal systems.