Paul Dudchenko

Paul Dudchenko is a Professor in the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Stirling, specializing in behavioral neuroscience and spatial cognition. He co-leads the Memory and Space Laboratory at the Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems, University of Edinburgh. His research focuses on neural mechanisms underlying memory and spatial navigation, including head direction cells and place cells. Dudchenko holds the 2020 D.G. Marquis Behavioral Neuroscience Award for his paper on head direction cell system lesions. He has organized interdisciplinary workshops, such as the Dementia Design and Neuroscience Workshop, bridging basic neuroscience with applied research for dementia support. Notable roles include inviting Nobel laureate John O'Keefe to the University of Stirling and delivering keynote addresses on spatial navigation challenges. His educational background includes a PhD from The Ohio State University and postdoctoral work at Dartmouth College and Boston University.

Research Interests:

• Neural basis of spatial cognition
• Memory systems and hippocampal function
• Head direction and place cell networks
• Applications of spatial neuroscience to dementia research

Awards and Recognition:

• 2020 D.G. Marquis Behavioral Neuroscience Award
• Invited speaker at International Navigation Symposium and Royal Institute of Navigation Conference

Labs & Collaborations:

• Co-leads Memory and Space Lab at Edinburgh
• Participates in interdisciplinary initiatives like the Ageing and Dementia Research Programme