Meet the Two Newest Neurobiology Faculty Members

A cell biologist and a computer scientist walk into a neurobiology lab… and the insights they bring to bear on the inner workings of the brain are no joke. Two years ago, Matthew Pecot joined the Department of Neurobiology after completing postdoctoral work at the University of California, Los Angeles. This past spring, the department welcomed Jan Drugowitsch, most recently a research fellow at the University of Geneva.

Both scientists sat down with HM News to talk about what they study and why and to share a little about themselves and their hobbies, from science fiction films to snowboarding.

Jan Drugowitsch
Assistant professor of neurobiology
Lab website

Research focus: My lab focuses on the question of how the brain processes information. We’re interested in the intersection between the brain’s “hardware” and its “software.” That introduces two components to our work. First, what are the computations performed—how is the information itself processed? That is a more abstract question. Second, how is this implemented in the hardware—how are computations realized as neural dynamics in the brain? We’re trying to answer both questions at the same time because they are closely linked.

To understand how the brain handles all the noise and ambiguity in the world, we use tools from statistics. It’s a theoretical lab; we don’t do experiments ourselves, but we collaborate with experimentalists.

Variety show: Neuroscience is a very multidisciplinary field. You get to work with people who look at things differently but are trying to address similar questions. That goes from molecular biology all the way to psychology and even economics. My own background is in computer science. Collaboration is a very appealing aspect of my job.

Why HMS: Neurobiology is a great department, first of all. There is also a lot of interesting work happening in Cambridge. In terms of scientific environment, it’s barely beatable.

Androids, aliens and us: I was very interested in science fiction as a kid—in particular, questions of artificial intelligence. I love movies like “Blade Runner” and “2001: A Space Odyssey.” They are asking not only what an artificial intelligence or other intelligence would look like but also what makes us different from them. These stories address a lot of questions at the boundaries of what we understand, what defines humanity and natural intelligence, and such things. We are pushing these boundaries in neuroscience. It’s challenging, but it also allows for a lot of creativity.

A modern bookworm: Generally, I love reading. Not only science fiction but across a whole range. I like Dostoyevsky, but I also like Pynchon. I don’t look a lot at new stuff because there’s so much proven stuff I don’t know. I tend to go for mid- to end-twentieth century. It’s a safer choice, more likely to satisfy, when I have limited time.

My wife follows all the new releases. She grew up in France, so she’s pushing me to read some contemporary French novels. Those I have to read in English because my French is not necessarily sufficient. I try to read books in the original language, but I can only do that if they’re in English or German.

In another life: I studied architecture for four years but stopped before I finished my degree. I’m still interested in it. I was probably a pain with the architect who designed my lab. I tried to satisfy all these different criteria, including that there needed to be sufficient possibilities for interaction but also for working in quiet. The hope is that facilitating interaction helps people develop new ideas and prosper in the lab without annoying others.

Matthew Pecot
Assistant professor of neurobiology
Lab website

Research focus: We’re trying to understand how the brain gets wired up during development. The nervous system is really intriguing to me because there are so many different types of cells—neurons—with unique morphologies, yet they form very precise connections, which underlies how we’re able to correctly respond to changes in our environment. On a fundamental level, we’re studying how individual neurons distinguish one another and choose the right synaptic partners to drive animal behavior.

Just another kind of cell: To be honest, I’ve never taken a neurobiology class in my life. I trained as a cell biologist. In graduate school, I got really excited about the nervous system because of the idea that molecules on the surfaces of neurons must allow those neurons to find the right partners—that there’s some sort of code that underlies the specificity of the wiring.

Why HMS: It’s a terrific place to start a lab. Then each department has its own culture, and I think the Department of Neurobiology’s is special. All these people are leaders in their field but very collegial and want one another to succeed. There is commitment to excellence in hiring and a sense of purpose in bringing people together to make a difference in neurobiology. They want to give me the support and resources I need so I can think about how best to do the science.

Forks in the road: I thought I was going to be a surgeon. My father, who was a histologist, talked me out of it. He wanted me to go to law school, but he also wanted me to major in biology, so I took classes in both. I got really interested in constitutional law and the history of civil rights. Then I took a metabolic biochemistry course that changed my life. I applied to graduate school in biology, and as soon as I got into the lab I just knew it was the right thing to do. I have never wanted to do anything else. That, I think, is pretty lucky.

On the court, on the mountain: I’ve played sports since I was a little kid. I play basketball. I’m not very tall, so it’s impossible to be any good, but I love it. I play pickup games at Vanderbilt Hall with a couple of other department members. But I’m getting older now and I keep getting injured.

I also like snowboarding. It’s really peaceful and a lot of fun. There’s a rhythm to carving down a mountain and weaving through the forest. You can put your favorite song on and just go. It’s a little like when I’m able to get into the fly room—my lab studies Drosophila—and do some dissections or other experiments. That’s like meditation for me; it puts me at peace.

Advice for the next generation: Doing science is a privilege. It should be fun and exciting. I sense a lot of anxiety in students and postdocs about their futures in science. That’s not what they should focus on. Yes, there’s a lot of uncertainty and it’s scary, but you can’t have one foot in and one foot out. You have to be committed. Focus on doing beautiful science, and everything else will work out.