One of the 21st century’s most enduring challenges is to understand how the brain performs the computations which directly underpin human behaviour. It is a complex puzzle that strikes right to the heart of who we are.
Gatsby’s first investment in this area, 25 years ago, was the establishment of the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit. The core funding model flexibly supports the Unit’s researchers, core facilities, technical and support staff and overheads. This mirrors Gatsby’s successful funding approach taken at the Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich – which focuses on plants and microbiology.
Consisting of 60 members, the Unit provides a unique opportunity for a hive of theoreticians to interact closely with each other and with other world-class research groups, both at the Unit’s base at University College London and the global neuroscience community.
Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit marked its 21st birthday in 2019 with a special celebratory event including a talk from alumnus Dr Demis Hassabis, the CEO of Google DeepMind – a society-shifting artificial intelligence company. Their algorithms use deep learning – a field that was dramatically pushed forward by the Unit’s first head, Professor Geoff Hinton, during his time there.
Brainstem axons and synapses
Gatsby is always eager to form partnerships with others who share similar goals. Therefore, Wellcome and University College London were ideal companions for the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour. A new building was commissioned, designed by architectural practice Ian Ritchie Architects. It opened in 2016: a state-of-the- art research centre using cutting-edge techniques to investigate how brain circuits process information to create representations and guide behaviour.
The Centre has since won several awards. These include Major Building Project of the Year at the British Construction Industry Awards, as well as both the Project of the Year and Design through Innovation accolades at the 2017 Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Awards. It currently houses around 200 scientists, technicians and support staff investigating how circuit function underlies different behaviours and contributes to our understanding of the brain.
Gatsby’s support of scientific research has always taken an extended view rather than short, one-off projects. It also means the supported researchers can pursue higher-risk opportunities. This genuinely exciting approach is bringing together neuroscientists, engineers, data scientists and industry to answer the brain’s deepest questions.
Copyright © 2025 SFCT