Luca Mazzucato.

Luca Mazzucato

Assistant professor of biology and mathematics
University of Oregon

Luca Mazzucato is assistant professor of biology and mathematics at the University of Oregon. His lab investigates the neural mechanisms of optimal performance in decision-making and sensory perception, and develops brain-computer interfaces to improve cognitive function in primates.

Mazzucato obtained his Ph.D. in theoretical physics at the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) and worked on string theory for several years before switching to neuroscience. He was a Swartz Fellow in Theoretical Neurobiology and a research scientist at Columbia University’s Center for Theoretical Neuroscience. He started his lab at the University of Oregon in 2018.

He is the recipient of a National Science Foundation CAREER Award and numerous National Institutes of Health awards. He also runs the Science and Comics Initiative at the University of Oregon, where he works with comic artists to explain neuroscience.

Explore more from The Transmitter

Two opposing arrows

European Research Council backtracks on stricter grant resubmission rules

The swift reversal came after more than 1,000 scientists signed an open letter protesting the rules last week.

By Lauren Schenkman
1 May 2026 | 4 min read
leech illustration

What leeches reveal about movement

After encountering setbacks in her study of the neuromuscular system in vertebrates, Lidia Szczupak turned to leeches to explore how the nervous system coordinates movement.

By Claudia López Lloreda
1 May 2026 | 5 min read

Novel assembloid illuminates serotonin changes linked to 22q11.2 deletion

The combination of a serotonin-producing organoid with an organoid based on the developing cerebral cortex offers a new way to investigate neuromodulation.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
30 April 2026 | 0 min watch