Who we are

The NeuroMod Institute for Modeling in Neuroscience and Cognition aims at promoting modeling as an approach for integrating brain mechanisms and cognitive functions. To meet this central challenge of integration in cognitive science, the institute relies on the interdisciplinary resources available within the Université Côte d’Azur: more than 250 researchers and 16 laboratories.

Université Côte d'Azur encourages interaction between human sciences (psychology, behavioral economics, language sciences), modeling (computer science, mathematics, physics, etc.) and neuroscience (biology, neurophysiology, cognitive neuroscience, medicine, etc.). NeuroMod is unique because of the variety of approaches used to integrate different models at multiple levels, from neurons and their molecular mechanisms, to cognitive processes and behaviors, through neural network dynamics.

NeuroMod also provides interdisciplinary training for Master students, PhD students and future faculty members. We opened an international elite degree in Modeling for Neuronal and Cognitive Systems (Master of Science Mod4NeuCog) and a national Master's degree in Cognitive Science.

2013: Creation of a local community 
The former University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis decided to focus on a few interdisciplinary priorities. One of them was the theoretical and computational modeling in neuroscience and cognition, which was organized as a research axis called Modélisation Théorique et Computationnelle en Neurosciences et Sciences Cognitives - MTC NSC. The aim was to promote collaborations between biology labs, human sciences, the medical actors and a strong hub in modeling, alongside Marseille, well known for being an important hub in experimental neuroscience and cognition. Thanks to some funding from the university, the CNRS (through the Mission for interdisciplinarity) and Inria, links were progressively forged through the funding of very small but innovative projects. Rapidly, a local community emerged.

2016: Launch of the structuring project C@UCA
In 2016 Université Côte d’Azur won a prestigious “IDEX” award from the French government for its UCA^JEDI project which was to develop a new 21st-century model for French universities, based on new interactions between disciplines, a new form of coordination between research, teaching and innovation, with strong partnerships with the private sector and local authorities. Innovative ideas were collected in all the labs through a call for “expressions of interest”. The MTC NSC axis proposed the project "C@UCA" (the letter "C" standing for Cerveau, Cognition, Comportement, Collectif, Clinique, Computationnel). At the end of 2016, C@UCA became the driving force behind one of the 8 UCA^JEDI core programs and was named “Cognitive systems, normality and pathology of the human brain and computational neuroscience”. Other challenging projects, financed by IDEX funds, (MNC3, From Mind To Brain, Computabrain) were associated with it. The Brain awareness week team (involved in science popularization) also joined forces. Middle-sized scientific projects were submitted to the Academies of Excellence and could also benefit from fundings.

2017: First C@UCA meeting
The community started speaking with a more unified and audible voice. This could be seen at the first meeting of C@UCA members, where participants were struck by the size reached. The creation of an elite MSc program was also in the pipeline.

2018: Second meeting and evaluation
Several members of the think tank, comprised of external experts, visited to exchange scientific ideas. In June 2018, the second C@UCA meeting was attended by three members of the think tank and by the former President of Université Côte d’Azur. Members of the think tank were asked to give their opinion on the scientific quality, structure and visibility of the community and their assessment was so positive that this project became the first UCA^JEDI core program funded by the IDEX to develop into a thematic institute. At the end of 2018, the project of an institute was presented to the strategic committee of the University who approved.

2020: Official institute status 
Since January 1st 2020, the NeuroMod Institute counts as an official and permanent component of Université Côte d’Azur.