Dr. Matthieu Louis
Field of Expertise: Systems Neuroscience | Neuroethology
Dr. Matthieu Louis is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). He leads the Sensory Systems and Behavior Lab, focusing on understanding how neural circuits in the fruit fly larva process sensory information to guide behavior.
Current Research or Discovery
Dr. Louis’s research aims to decipher how odor tracking (chemotaxis) is orchestrated through neural-circuit computations. His lab utilizes the Drosophila melanogaster larva, which possesses fewer than 10,000 neurons, as a model system.
By integrating computational and experimental methods, including high-resolution behavioral analysis, electrophysiology, and optogenetics, they model the algorithms that direct navigation in odor gradients and unravel their neural implementations. The lab seeks to map and functionally characterize the neural circuits that convert olfactory information into navigational decisions.
Their long-term goal is to conduct comparative analyses of neural-circuit computations underlying differences in chemotactic behaviors within the Drosophila group.
Contributions to Research
1. Mapping Neural Circuits for Chemotaxis
Dr. Louis has uncovered how fruit fly larvae use their small nervous systems to detect odor gradients and make directional decisions. His research has been instrumental in identifying the neural algorithms responsible for navigation and orientation behavior
2. Development of PiVR (Portable Interactive Virtual Reality)
One of his most notable contributions is the co-development of PiVR, a low-cost, open-source platform that enables closed-loop behavioral experiments. This tool has made neuroscience experimentation more accessible and is used by labs worldwide to study sensorimotor behavior in unrestrained animals.
3. Unveiling Mini-Brain Computations
He has demonstrated how small neural circuits in Drosophila larvae can perform complex computations, such as decision-making under uncertainty, using limited neuron numbers. This work challenges the notion that complex brains are necessary for sophisticated behavior.
4. Quantitative Behavioral Analysis
Dr. Louis has introduced high-resolution behavioral tracking and modeling techniques to accurately capture how larvae respond to sensory stimuli over time. His work links stimulus dynamics to behavioral output with remarkable precision.
Affiliation
Dr. Matthieu Louis holds multiple academic and research affiliations at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to neuroscience:
- Associate Professor, Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB), UCSB
- Principal Investigator, Sensory Systems and Behavior Lab, UCSB
- Faculty Member, Neuroscience Research Institute (NRI), UCSB
- Affiliate Faculty, Department of Physics, UCSB
Awards
- Dr. Matthieu Louis has been recognized for his contributions to neuroscience research and mentorship. Notably, he received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) BRAIN Initiative in 2019, supporting his work in neural circuit computations in sensory-guided behavior.
- Additionally, Dr. Louis has served as a course director for the “Neurophysics of Sensing in Motion” summer course, organized by the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS). This role underscores his commitment to interdisciplinary education and training in neuroscience.
Contact
Email: mlouis@ucsb.edu
Phone: +1-805-893-5877
