Professor: Kenji Doya

The Neural Computation Unit pursues the dual goals of developing robust and flexible learning algorithms and elucidating the brain’s mechanisms for robust and flexible learning.

Our specific foci are on reinforcement learning for a biological or artificial agent learns novel behaviors in uncertain environments by exploration and reward feedback, and dynamic Bayesian inference for grasping the state of theenvironment by combining model-based predictions and sensory evidence.

We combine top-down, theoretical approaches and bottom-up, experimental approaches to achieve these goals.

Research Projects

We collaborate with a variety of partners to run joint research, in addition to individual curiosity-driven research projects.

Unified Theory of Prediction and Action (2023-2028)

• Brain/MINDS 2.0 Digital Brain Project (2024-2030)

• Fugaku Whole Brain Data Assimilation Project (2023-2026)

Global Bioconvergence Center of Innovation (2022-2032)

Online Textooks

Two textbooks based on courses at OIST are under development as Jupyter books with Python codes:

Research Positions

We are looking for a postdoctoral scholar, staff scientist, and technical staff who are interested to know how the brain works and to create autonomous adaptive agents. We specifically invite applications to the following research topics:

  1. Theory and experimental investigation of Bayesian inference and reinforcement learning by the cortex, basal ganglia, and neuromodulator systems
    • Unified Theory of Prediction and Action (reference)
     
  2. Data-driven construction of neural network models and large-scale simulation 
    • Brain/MINDS 2.0 Digital Brain Project, (reference)
     
  3. Application of wearable devices for monitoring mind and body state to support healthy life
    • Bioconvergence Center of Innovation
     
  4. Flexible and robust reinforcement learning and meta-learning algorithms (reference)
     
  5. Development of smartphone robots for multi-agent learning and embodied evolution (reference)

If you are interested, please register your CV, research statement, publication list, and the names and e-mail addresses of three referees using the application form.

If you are interested to join as a PhD student or an intern, please apply from the Graduate School admission site