About me
I am a Postdoctoral researcher in the Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience (TCN) group at the Center for Brain and Computation (CBC) within the Department of Engineering of Information and Communication Technologies (ETIC), at the University Pompeu Fabra (UPF), in Barcelona.
My research focuses on exploring the connections between neural physiology and the computational mechanisms involved in sensory information processing, transmission, and storage, to achieve cognitive and behavioral goals. Specifically, I aim to investigate the interplay between focal attentional selection of visual features and visuospatial patterns associated with motor action planning in reward expectation. This involves analyzing simultaneous eye tracking and neural data to investigate the interaction between overt visual sampling for enhanced foveal processing and reward expectation based on target motion direction.
Both because of my interest in inspecting how the brain achieves its outstanding functions, and my deep passion for science and technological innovation, I have always tried to expand my professional profile by conducting scientific research at an interdisciplinary level. My work is located at the interface between technological challenges in the curation of experimental data and the theoretical modeling of information encoding and transfer at the columnar circuit level.
Beyond my research pursuits, I have a passion for the outdoors. Whether it is swimming regularly, embarking on hiking or climbing adventures, or indulging in some therapeutic gardening, I thrive on connecting with nature. I am also committed to the environmental cause, having actively participated in divulgative discussions and volunteered in clean-up initiatives at natural sites.
Updates
My research will be presented in a Talk 💬 at the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (SILS), System Cognitive Neuroscience Group (SCN) at the Faculty of Science, University van Amsterdam, Netherlands 🇳🇱.
17.00h-18.00h, October 15, 2024. Room A1.28 at Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, Netherlands, Abstract.
— Demetrio Ferro, October 10, 2024
My interview about gaze 👀 and item value encoding in orbitofrontal cortex 🧠 for #decisionmaking is out in @Enginyeria_UPF News 📢! @CBCUPF https://t.co/nxIrtrtL9O Check the full research article at @NatureComms https://t.co/W1oNUzcZpQ!
— Demetrio Ferro, September 26, 2024
Enthusiastic to join the CASES (Citizen science And SciEntific reSearch) meeting, an EUTOPIA Impact and Dissemination event bringing together highly transdisciplinary science and citizens, setting up incredibly efficient collective discussion and informative share of ideas organized by Dr. O. Salimbene (University of Ljubljana) at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain.
— Demetrio Ferro, September 20, 2024
My research is out on @NatureComms!🎉https://t.co/W1oNUzcZpQ
We found that gaze 👀 plays a crucial role in #decisionmaking, allowing dynamic encoding for offer evaluation in the orbitofrontal cortex 🧠. Sincerely grateful to coauthors @MorenoBote, @NeuroPolarbear, and supporters!
— Demetrio Ferro, July 22, 2024
My research will be presented in a Talk 💬 at the International Conference on Thinking 2024 (ICT2024)
Organized by Centro Congressi Internazionale (CCI) at Milano Bicocca University (UniMiB), in Milan, Italy 🇮🇹.
Session 17E: Decision Making, Talk N.65, Room U6-23, Programme P.27
— Demetrio Ferro, June 12, 2024
My interiew about "The effects of attention in V1 and V4 laminar layers" is on:
Universitat Pompeu Fabra News,
Eurekalert! (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
Medical Xpress (Science X Network),
Bioengineer.org, News-Medical Life Sciences (AZO Network).
— Demetrio Ferro, March 23, 2021