Evan Schaffer is assistant professor of neuroscience at the Friedman Brain Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. His lab uses mathematical tools to understand distributed computations in the brain, identify how these computations change with learning and identify how feedback from the body impacts cognition. Schaffer received his Ph.D. at the Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, in Larry Abbott’s lab at Columbia University. He completed his postdoctoral work in Richard Axel’s Lab at Columbia University
Evan Schaffer
Assistant professor of neuroscience
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Selected articles
- “Inhibitory stabilization of the cortical network underlies visual surround suppression” | Neuron
- “A complex-valued firing-rate model that approximates the dynamics of spiking networks” | PLoS Computational Biology
- “Odor perception on the two sides of the brain: Consistency despite randomness” | Neuron
- “The spatial and temporal structure of neural activity across the fly brain” | Nature Communications
- “Behavioral fingerprinting of the naked mole-rat uncovers signatures of eusociality and social touch” | bioRxiv
Explore more from The Transmitter
Argentine protesters condemn science funding shortfall
Demonstrators across the country called for the government to increase public university salaries and funding for scientific research.
Argentine protesters condemn science funding shortfall
Demonstrators across the country called for the government to increase public university salaries and funding for scientific research.
By
Claudia López Lloreda, Natalia Mesa, Anita Pouchard Serra
15 May 2026 | 3 min read
This paper changed my life: Appreciating John Hopfield’s brilliant neural network
In a 1982 paper, the Nobel laureate created his namesake recurrent neural network—work that taught Maria Geffen to always ground research questions in biology.
This paper changed my life: Appreciating John Hopfield’s brilliant neural network
In a 1982 paper, the Nobel laureate created his namesake recurrent neural network—work that taught Maria Geffen to always ground research questions in biology.
By
Maria Geffen
15 May 2026 | 5 min read
How basic neuroscientists can connect with autistic people and their communities
A first-of-its-kind workshop offers a template for autism researchers who want to incorporate community perspectives into their work.
How basic neuroscientists can connect with autistic people and their communities
A first-of-its-kind workshop offers a template for autism researchers who want to incorporate community perspectives into their work.
By
Juliana Chase, Hannah R. Monday, Lea Witkowsky
14 May 2026 | 6 min read