On January 31, 2018 Winner, Rafa Yuste, hosted a group from the Tällberg Foundation network for a tour of his lab, a presentation of key aspects of his research, and a discussion of the profound ethical implications of the current explosion of knowledge about the brain.
Rafa’s current work, using laboratory mice, focuses on investigating the structure and function of the cerebral cortex, which is the largest part of the brain in mammals and is responsible for all cognitive and mental functions. He and his team use optical methods to decipher and manipulate cortical activity, thereby interfering with behavior.
Could this work be applied to humans? Rafa believes so—and thus he is developing on a series of initiatives to protect mankind against potential abuse of rapidly evolving neurotechnologies. Read more about his work here: https://nri.ntc.columbia.edu/
