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PhD Programme

Training in theoretical and computational neuroscience and machine learning.

The Gatsby Unit is a centre for theoretical neuroscience and machine learning, focusing on unsupervised, semi-supervised and reinforcement learning, neural dynamics, population coding, Bayesian (Including nonparametric) statistics, kernel methods and applications of these to the analysis of perceptual processing, neural data, natural language processing, machine vision and bioinformatics. It provides a unique opportunity for a critical mass of theoreticians to interact closely with each other, and with other world-class research groups in related departments at UCL, including Anatomy, Computer Science, Functional Imaging, Physics, Physiology, Psychology, Neurology, Ophthalmology, and Statistical Science, with the cross-faculty Centre for Computational Statistics and Machine Learning, the forthcoming Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour and also with other UK and overseas universities .

Students at the Gatsby Unit study toward a PhD in either theoretical neuroscience or machine learning, with minor emphasis in the complementary field. Collaborative projects, for example with an experimental neuroscience group at UCL or elsewhere, are welcome, although the primary project supervisor should be one of the Gatsby (or Adjunct) faculty. Exceptionally, some students with pre-secured shorter-term studentships have joined us to study for an MPhil degree in one of these fields. Besides these Gatsby-funded programmes, students from some other PhD programmes are also able to carry out all or part of their research in Unit. See the links below. We do not offer undergraduate or taught masters programmes, nor (usually) a research masters. Again, links to alternative programmes appear below.