Joseph D. Monaco, Ph.D.

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https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0792-8322

Education

Columbia University, New York, NY, 2005–2009

• Department of Neurobiology & Behavior
• Center for Theoretical Neuroscience
• Degrees: Ph.D. (2009); M.Phil. (2008); M.A. (2006)
• Advisor: Larry Abbott

Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 2003–2005

• Volen National Center for Complex Systems,
• Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Continued at Columbia University
• Advisors: Michael Kahana; Larry Abbott 

University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 1999–2003

• Laboratory of Computational Neurodynamics
• Degrees: B.A. Mathematics; B.A. Cognitive Science; Minor, Philosophy
• Advisor: William (‘Chip’) Levy 
• Echols Scholar

Positions

National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 2023–present

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Office of the BRAIN Director
• Scientific Program Manager (NINDS Staff Bio)

SelfMotion Labs (stealth mode), Baltimore, MD, 2022–present

• Founder & Chief Scientist

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 2019–2022

• Department of Biomedical Engineering
• Research Associate (Faculty)

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 2013–2019

• Department of Biomedical Engineering
• Postdoctoral Fellow
• PI: Kechen Zhang, Ph.D. 

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 2009–2013

• Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute
• Postdoctoral Fellow
• PI: James J. Knierim 

Journal Articles

• Hwang GM, Kulwatno J, Cruz TH, Chen D, Ajisafe T, Monaco JD, Nitkin R, George SM, Lucas C, Zehnder SM, and Zhang L. (In press). Transforming Modeling in Neurorehabilitation: Perspectives and Opportunities from US Funding Agencies. Journal of Neural Engineering Research
• Levenstein D, Alvarez VA, Amarasingham A, Azab H, Zhe S. Chen, Gerkin RC, Hasenstaub A, Iyer R, Jolivet RB, Marzen~S, Monaco JD, Prinz AA, Quraishi SA, Santamaria F, Shivkumar S, Singh MF, Traub R, Rotstein HG, Nadim F, and Redish AD. (2023). On the role of theory and modeling in neuroscience. Journal of Neuroscience, 43(7), 1074–88. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1179-22.2022
• Monaco JD and Hwang GM. (2022). Neurodynamical computing at the information boundaries of intelligent systems. Cognitive Computation. doi: 10.1007/s12559-022-10081-9
• Hadzic A, Hwang GM, Zhang K, Schultz KM, and Monaco JD. (2022). Bayesian optimization of distributed neurodynamical controller models for spatial navigation. Array, 15, 100218. doi: 10.1016/j.array.2022.100218
• Monaco JD, Hwang GM, Schultz KM, and Zhang K. (2020). Cognitive swarming in complex environments with attractor dynamics and oscillatory computing. Biological Cybernetics, 114, 269–284. doi: 10.1007/s00422-020-00823-z [code]
• Wang CH, Monaco JD, and Knierim JJ. (2020). Hippocampal place cells encode local surface texture boundaries. Current Biology, 30, 1–13. [code]
• Monaco JD, De Guzman RM, Blair HT, and Zhang K. (2019). Spatial synchronization codes from coupled rate-phase neurons. PLOS Computational Biology, 15(1), e1006741. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006741 [code] [data]
• Tabuchi M, Monaco JD, Duan G, Bell BJ, Liu S, Zhang K, and Wu MN. (2018). Clock-generated temporal codes determine synaptic plasticity to control sleep. Cell, 175(5), 1213–27. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.09.016
• Monaco JD, Rao G, Roth ED, and Knierim JJ. (2014). Attentive scanning behavior drives one-trial potentiation of hippocampal place fields. Nature Neuroscience, 17(5), 725–731. doi: 10.1038/nn.3687 [pdf] [suppinfo] [code]
• Monaco JD, Knierim JJ, and Zhang K. (2011). Sensory feedback, error correction, and remapping in a multiple oscillator model of place cell activity. Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience, 5:39. doi: 10.3389/fncom.2011.00039 [code]
• Monaco JD and Abbott LF. (2011). Modular realignment of entorhinal grid cell activity as a basis for hippocampal remapping. Journal of Neuroscience, 31(25), 9414–25. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1433-11.2011 [code]
• Muzzio IA, Levita L, Kulkarni J, Monaco J, Kentros CG, Stead M, Abbott LF, and Kandel ER. (2009). Attention enhances the retrieval and stability of visuospatial and olfactory representations in the dorsal hippocampus. PLOS Biology, 7(6), e1000140. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1000140
• Monaco JD, Abbott LF, and Kahana MJ. (2007). Lexico-semantic structure and the recognition word-frequency effect. Learning & Memory, 14(3), 204–213. doi: 10.1101/lm.363207

Conference Papers

• Buckley E, Monaco JD, Schultz KM, Chalmers R, Hadzic A, Zhang K, Hwang GM, and Carr MD. (2022). An interdisciplinary approach to high school curriculum development: Swarming Powered by Neuroscience. Proceedings 2022 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC’22). [pdf] [webdemo]
  • First Place, Best Paper Award [pdf]
• Hwang GM, Schultz KM, Monaco JD, and Zhang K. (2021). Neuro-Inspired Dynamic Replanning in Swarms—Theoretical Neuroscience Extends Swarming in Complex Environments. Johns Hopkins APL Technical Digest, 35, 443–447.
• Monaco JD, Hwang GM, Schultz KM, and Zhang K. (2019). Cognitive swarming: An approach from the theoretical neuroscience of hippocampal function. Proceedings of SPIE (International society for optics and photonics) Defense & Commercial Sensing. Micro- and Nanotechnology Sensors, Systems, and Applications XI, 109822D, 1–10. doi: 10.1117/12.2518966 [pdf]
• Monaco JD and Levy WB. (2003). T-maze training of a recurrent CA3 model reveals the necessity of novelty-based modulation of LTP in hippocampal region CA3. Proceedings 2003 IEEE/INNS International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN’03), 1655–1660. doi: 10.1109/IJCNN.2003.1223655 [pdf]
  • First Place, Student Paper Award

Preprints

• Hadzic A, Hwang GM, Zhang K, Schultz KM, and Monaco JD. (2021). Bayesian optimization of distributed neurodynamical controller models for spatial navigation. ArXiv Preprint. arxiv:2111.00599
• Buckley E, Monaco JD, Schultz KM, Chalmers R, Hadzic A, Zhang K, Hwang GM, and Carr MD. (2021). An interdisciplinary approach to high school curriculum development: Swarming Powered by Neuroscience. ArXiv Preprint. arxiv:2109.05545
• Monaco JD, Rajan K, and Hwang GM. (2021). A brain basis of dynamical intelligence for AI and computational neuroscience. ArXiv Preprint. arxiv:2105.07284
• Levenstein D, Alvarez VA, Amarasingham A, Azab H, Gerkin RC, Hasenstaub A, Iyer R, Jolivet RB, Marzen S, Monaco JD, Prinz AA, Quraishi S, Santamaria F, Shivkumar S, Singh MF, Stockton DB, Traub R, Rotstein HG, Nadim F, and Redish AD. (2020). On the role of theory and modeling in neuroscience. ArXiv Preprint. arxiv:2003.13825
• Monaco JD, Hwang GM, Schultz KM, and Zhang K. (2019). Cognitive swarming in complex environments with attractor dynamics and oscillatory computing. ArXiv Preprint. arxiv:1909.06711
• Wang CH, Monaco JD, and Knierim JJ. (2019). Hippocampal place cells encode local surface texture boundaries. BioRxiv Preprint. doi: 10.1101/764282
• Monaco JD, Blair HT, and Zhang K. (2017). Spatial theta cells in competitive burst synchronization networks: Reference frames from phase codes. BioRxiv Preprint. doi: 10.1101/211458

Thesis

• Monaco JD. (2009). Models and mechanisms for integrating cortical feature spaces. Ph.D. Dissertation, Columbia University. ProQuest Publication No. AAT 3393609. [fullcolor]

Funding Awards

• NSF/NCS FOUNDATIONS (BRAIN Initiative) Award No. 1835279, 2018–2021
  • NCS-FO: Spatial intelligence for swarms based on hippocampal dynamics
  • PI: Kechen Zhang, Co-PIs: Joseph D. Monaco, Robert W. Chalmers (JHU/APL), and Kevin Schultz (JHU/APL); Former Co-PIs: Grace Hwang (JHU/APL)
• NIH/NINDS R03 Award No. NS109923–01, 2018–2020
  • Spiking network models of sharp-wave ripple sequences with gamma-locked attractor dynamics
  • PI: Kechen Zhang; Research Associate: Joseph D. Monaco
• Johns Hopkins Science of Learning Institute Award, 2016–2018
  • Learning to explore paths through space
  • PI: Kechen Zhang, Co-PI: David J. Foster, Research Associate: Joseph D. Monaco

Recognition

• IEEE/ISEC Best Paper Competition, First Place (2022)
• IEEE/IJCNN Student Paper Competition, First Place (2003)
• John A. Harrison III Undergraduate Research Award (U.Va., 2002)
• Echols Scholar at the University of Virginia (1999–2003)
• Maryland Distinguished Scholar (1999)
• Johns Hopkins Mathematics Competition (2nd Place Individual Calculus, 1999)
• National Merit Scholarship Commended Student
• AP Scholar with Distinction
• State of Maryland Merit Scholastic Award

Talks

• “Cognitive-narrative dynamics of self-perspective control across the lifespan.” Invited Talk. 33rd Annual International Association for Perceptual Control Theory (IAPCT) Conference, Session 7 on Consciousness and the Self, Virtual. October 13, 2023 [pdf]
• “Beyond ‘FAIR’: What does sustainable protocolization of open data in neuroscience look like?” Invited Panelist & Keynote Speaker. Open Data in Neuroscience (ODIN) Symposium, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA. October 12, 2023
• “Theory of theory: On the role of theory and modeling in neuroscience.” Invited Extramural Seminar. NIH, Virtual. May 9, 2023 [pdf]
• “Neurodynamical Articulation: Decoupling Intelligence from the Experiencing Self.” Invited Public Seminar. QuEST, Air Force Research Lab/Autonomous Capabilities Team 3 (AFRL/ACT3), Virtual. April 28, 2023 [pdf]
• “Neurodynamical computing at the information boundaries of intelligent systems.” Contributed Talk. American Physical Society (APS) March Meeting, Las Vegas, NV. March 8, 2023 [pptx] [pdf]
• “Finding Causal Paths Across Scales: Embodied Control, Ethological Interaction, and Theory-Driven Neural Data Science.” Invited Talk. Division of Neuroscience and Behavior, NIH/NIDA, Virtual. December 21, 2022
• “Finding Causal Paths Across Scales: Embodied Control, Ethological Interaction, and Theory-Driven Neural Data Science.” Invited Talk. Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science, NIH/NIMH, Virtual. November 17, 2022
• “Brain oscillations: From cortical computing to the existential nonduality of conscious agents.” Invited Public Seminar. Qualia Exploitation for Sensor Technology (QuEST), Air Force Research Lab/Autonomous Capabilities Team 3 (AFRL/ACT3), Virtual. August 26, 2022 [pdf]
• “Theory-Driven Data Science to Understand the Neural Dynamics of Memory and Behavior.” Invited Talk. Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Canada, Virtual. February 1, 2022
• “Learning as swarming: Cognitive flexibility from the neural dynamics of phase-coupled attractor maps.” Contributed Talk. Neuromatch 4.0 Conference, Virtual. December 1, 2021
• “Spatial theta-phase coding in the lateral septum: a theory of allocentric feedback during navigation.” Contributed Talk. Neuromatch 3.0 Conference, Virtual. October 29, 2020
• “Computing path integration with oscillatory phase codes in biological and artificial systems.” Data Blitz. iNAV Symposium 2020, Virtual. October 7, 2020
• “Can Transitory Neurodynamics Unify Learning Theories for Brains and Machines?” Invited Talk & Panel Discussion. Symposium 1 on “How Can Dynamical Systems Neuroscience Reciprocally Advance Machine Learning?”, 6th Annual BRAIN Initiative Investigators Meeting, NIH, Virtual. June 1, 2020
• “Computational Approaches to the Neural Dynamics of Time, Memory, and Behavior.” Invited Talk. Department of Neuroscience, Medical Discovery Team for Optical Imaging, University of Minnesota, Virtual. May 18, 2020
• “Computational Mechanisms of Memory: Linking Behavior, Space, & Time.” Invited Talk. Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV. February 24, 2020
• “Attractors, memory, and oscillations: Computational motifs of spatial learning.” Invited Talk. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX. January 31, 2020
• “Oscillations, attractors, and sequences: Extending hippocampal computations to artificial systems.” Invited Talk. Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. October 2, 2019
• “Emergent dynamics of hippocampal circuitry as a basis for robust self-organized planning in mobile swarms.” Invited Talk. SPIE (International society for optics and photonics) 2019, Brain-Inspired Self-Organized Control of Multi-Agent Systems, Baltimore, MD. April 17, 2019.
• “Hippocampal circuits for space, memory, and navigation: From minimal models to biologically inferred networks.” Invited Talk. Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD. January 22, 2016.
• “Stopping to look: How attentive scanning behavior reveals the formation of new memories.” Retreat Research Talk. Neuroscience Department, Johns Hopkins University, St. Michaels, MD. September 6, 2014.
• “Landmark influence: How attention to sensory cues stabilizes and updates the hippocampal cognitive representation of space.” Advanced Researcher Seminar. Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. April 21, 2014.
• “Head scans drive the formation and potentiation of place fields during exploration.” 38th Annual Winter Conference on Neurobiology of Learning & Memory, Park City, UT. January 3, 2014.
• “Medial versus lateral modes for reconfiguring hippocampal representations.” Grid Cells: Formation and Function. Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, UCL, UK. July 1, 2010.
• “Rapid spatial map formation and remapping by competing over grid cell inputs.” Thesis Seminar. Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. April 10, 2009. [Keynote (mp4)]

Posters

• Monaco JD, Hwang GM, Schultz K, Zhang K. (2020). Cognitive swarming in complex environments with attractor dynamics and oscillatory computing. 6th Annual BRAIN Initiative Investigators Meeting. Virtual, with audio narration. June 2020.
• Monaco JD, Hwang GM, De Guzman RM, Blair HT, and Zhang K. (2019). Spatial rate-phase coding in lateral septal ‘phaser cells’: single-unit data and theta-bursting models. FENS (Federation of European Neuroscience Societies) Dynamics of the brain: Temporal aspects of computation. North Copenhagen, Denmark. June 2019. [poster]
• Monaco JD, Hwang GM, Schultz K, and Zhang K. (2019). Self-organized swarm control using neural principles of spatial phase coding. 5th Annual BRAIN Initiative Investigators Meeting. Washington, D.C. April 2019. [poster]
• Hwang GM, Schultz K, Monaco JD, Chalmers RW, Lau SW, Yeh BY, and Zhang K. (2018). Self-organized swarm control using neural principles of spatial phase coding. Society for Neuroscience. San Diego, CA. November 2018. [poster]
• Monaco J, Blair HT, and Zhang K. (2017). Decoding septohippocampal theta cells during exploration reveals unbiased environmental cues in firing phase. Society for Neuroscience. Washington, D.C. November 2017. [poster]
• Monaco JD, Blair HT, and Zhang K. (2015). Spatial rate/phase correlations in theta cells can stabilize randomly drifting path integrators. Cosyne. Salt Lake City, UT. March 2015. [poster] [paper]
• Monaco J, Blair HT, and Zhang K. (2014). Spatial rate/phase codes provide landmark-based error correction in a temporal model of theta cells. Society for Neuroscience. Washington, D.C. November 2014. [poster] [figshare] [github]
• Wang CH, Rao G, Monaco JD, Deshmukh SS, and Knierim JJ. (2014). Potentiation of place fields along the CA1 transverse axis by investigatory head-scanning behavior. Society for Neuroscience. Washington, D.C. November 2014.
• Monaco J, Rao G, and Knierim JJ. (2013). Scanning behavior in novel environments promotes de novo formation of hippocampal place fields in rats. Society for Neuroscience. San Diego, CA. November 2013. [poster]
• Monaco J, Rao G, and Knierim JJ. (2012). Hippocampal LFP during rodent head-scanning behavior: Theta and sharp-wave ripples. Society for Neuroscience. New Orleans, LA. October 2012. [poster]
• Monaco J, Rao G, and Knierim JJ. (2011). Hippocampal place cell firing during head-scanning movements is associated with the formation of new place fields. Society for Neuroscience. Washington, D.C. November 2011. [poster]
• Rao G, Monaco J, and Knierim JJ. (2011). Environmental novelty promotes rodent head-scanning behavior linked to enhanced entorhinal activity. Society for Neuroscience. Washington, D.C. November 2011. [poster]
• Monaco JD, Zhang K, Blair HT and Knierim JJ. (2010). Cue-based feedback enables remapping in a multiple oscillator model of place cell activity. Cosyne. Salt Lake City, UT. February 2010. [poster]
• Monaco JD and Abbott LF. (2009). Dynamic hippocampal remapping using recurrent inhibition on realigning grid cell inputs. Cosyne. Salt Lake City, UT. February 2009.
• Monaco JD, Muzzio IA, Levita L and Abbott LF. (2006). Entorhinal input and global remapping of hippocampal place fields. CNS. Edinburgh, UK. July 2006.
• Monaco JD and Abbott LF. (2006). Entorhinal input and the remapping of hippocampal place fields. Cosyne. Salt Lake City, UT. March 2006.
• Monaco JD and Levy WB. (2003). T-maze training of a recurrent CA3 model reveals the necessity of novelty-based modulation of LTP in hippocampal region CA3. IJCNN. Portland, OR. July 2003.
• Monaco JD and Perlstein RP. (1997). Monte-Carlo analysis of deoxyhypusine synthase inhibitor ligand conformations. NIH Poster Day. Bethesda, MD. August 1997.

Professional Service & Scientific Review

• Journals — Editorial Boards:
  • Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience (2023–present)
  • Frontiers in Neural Circuits (2023–present)
• Journals — Peer Review
  • Neuron
  • PLOS Computational Biology
  • Nature Communications
  • Nature Machine Intelligence
  • Neural Computation
  • Biological Cybernetics
  • Neurocomputing
  • Hippocampus
  • Scientific Reports
  • eLife
  • PeerJ
  • PLOS ONE
  • Neuroscience
  • Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
  • IEEE Transactions in Biomedical Engineering
  • IEEE/INNS Neural Networks
• Funding Agencies:
  • NSF CAREER Ad-Hoc Review, 2022
  • NSF Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) Preliminary Review, 2022
  • NSF EFRI Final-Round Review, 2022–2023
  • NSF EFRI Program Development, Extramural Contributor, 2020–2022
  • IARPA Program Development, Extramural Contributor, 2014
• Conferences:
  • Cosyne, Review Committee, 2020–2021
  • Cosyne, Review Committee, 2016
• Societies:
  • American Physical Society, Regular Member (2022–2024)
  • Society for Neuroscience, Postdoc/Regular Member (2011–2022)

Teaching

• Teaching Assistant, Biology Laboratory, Brandeis University (Spring 2005)
• Teaching Assistant (for Eve Marder), Introduction to Neuroscience, Brandeis University (Fall 2004)

Patents

• Hwang GM, Schultz KM, Chalmers RW, Monaco JD, Zhang K. Autonomous navigation technology. US Patent 11,378,975 issued July 5, 2022.