Daniel de Malmazet

I studied optical engineering in Paris and later obtained a Master’s degree in Cognitive Sciences from Grenoble. Despite having studied mainly mathematics, physics and engineering, I became interested in the inner workings of the mammalian brain and decided to undertake a PhD in experimental neurosciences in Leuven (Belgium). There, I developed techniques to image the activity of neurons in awake behaving mice and studied how visual information travels from the retina to the brain. In particular, I studied the superior colliculus, a conserved brain area responsible for extracting ethologically relevant sensory information from the surroundings and guiding orienting movements (de Malmazet, 2018 and 2023). I also collaborated with other research groups at the VIB and helped discover how neurons in vivo respond to high concentrations of amyloid beta peptide, unraveling the mechanisms of Alzheimer disease (Rice, 2019). Following my PhD, I decided to further understand the motor aspects of the superior colliculus and joined the laboratory of Marco Tripodi in February 2019 at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge. I was awarded a Marie Curie fellowship and recently became a senior investigator scientist, a role that also includes overseeing all experimental setups in the laboratory. My current work entails understanding the inhibitory network underlying motor control and dissecting the parallel channels encoding prey capture, sensory, and cognitive signals in the superior colliculus.

I am French-Peruvian, born in Indonesia and grew up in Brazil and Italy. I thrive in multicultural environments and speak several languages. In my free time, I enjoy playing the piano and football.