Maxime Beau

Hi, welcome to my website!

I am a systems and computational neuroscientist. I believe that to prevent random-walk science, ideas derived from theory and experiments must be discussed in the same tight teams, not just the same universities. My research combines experimental (electrophysiology, optogenetics, rodent behaviour) and computational (biophysical modeling, dynamical systems, deep learning) techniques. By bridging these domains, I hope to help shed light on how neural circuits give rise to behaviour and cognition. I’m also convinced that modern neuroscience has outgrown the single-investigator model. The most important questions now require collaborative teams working at a pace that exceeds what any individual can reasonably accomplish alone – and the science (and scientists!) benefit from it. Which also happens to make our jobs far more fun!

Currently, I am studying context-dependent decision-making in the Brody lab. Some of my work:

• A deep-learning strategy to predict neuron type identity from their electrical signature (Beau et al., Cell, 2025). Explore the data at c4-database.com (read more about why cell-typing matters).
• Co-discovery of reward signals encoded in the cerebellum teaching pathway (Kostadinov et al., 2019, Nature Neuroscience)
• NeuroPyxels, a generalist Python package to analyze Neuropixels data, and PixelMap, a browser-based GUI to generate Neuropixels channelmaps (.imro files).

I received my Ph.D. in Neuroscience from University College London in 2025. There, I investigated how the cerebellum’s output pathway encodes and transmits information in behaving rodents, using high-density electrophysiology and optogenetics. I also led a collaborative effort to develop a deep-learning strategy for identifying neural cell-types from their electrophysiological properties. This work was driven by collaborations with Prof. Steve Lisberger, Dana Cohen, and Javier Medina, the guidance of my advisors Prof. Michael Häusser and Prof. Beverley Clark, and the mentorship of Dr. Dimitar Kostadinov.

Before that, I studied medicine and neuroscience as part of an MD-PhD programme shared between Université Paris Descartes, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, and École Normale Supérieure. In this context, I worked in the lab of Boris Barbour at the Institut de Biologie de l’École Normale Supérieure.

In my free time, I practice and teach Shotokan Karate (2nd Dan black belt, FFKDA), and the rest of the time cook and brew espresso for friends!

I’m thrilled about the future of neuroscience and can’t wait to see where our collective efforts take us. If you’re interested in discussing research, collaborations, or just want to chat about the brain over coffee, please don’t hesitate to reach out!