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José Baldaque

Department, Institution: Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, UCL
UBEL Pathway: Ecological Study of Brain and Behaviour
Supervisor: Professor Peter Kok
Contact details: jose.baldaque.24@ucl.ac.uk
Social Media: @zemariabaldaque
About Me

I am a PhD student in Human Cognitive Neuroscience at UCL investigating conscious perception under the supervision of Professor Peter Kok. Originally from Portugal, I moved to Scotland in 2019 where I graduated from the University of Glasgow with an integrated master’s degree in neuroscience. Throughout my academic journey, I have completed several internships both nationally and internationally, focusing on topics such as learning, decision-making, and working memory in healthy individuals, as well as investigating aberrant perception in psychosis. Ultimately, I am interested in understanding how the brain gives rise to the mind.

In addition to my research, I am passionate about applying my knowledge of neuroscience to develop evidence-based interventions that improve societal well-being. I aim to use my expertise to shape public health policies that enhance quality of life and address key challenges in mental health and education.

My Research

The aim of my research is to provide computational descriptions of the neural mechanisms underlying conscious perception. In line with the predictive processing framework, the brain does not passively receive information from the senses. Instead, it actively anticipates what will happen next based on prior experiences and continuously updates or corrects these predictions with incoming sensory data. This notion is thought to play a central role in perception and even consciousness. My research will explore different types of predictions, and how the dynamics of their neural representations influence the awareness of perceptual contents. To achieve this, I will use a multidisciplinary approach, combining ultra-high-field fMRI with computational modelling.

Impact of My Research

This research has the potential to significantly advance our understanding of perception-related brain activity, bridging micro- and macro-level processes by characterising cortical laminar profiles and incorporating them into a comprehensive model of conscious perception. The practical impact is considerable, offering insights into the neural basis of predictive processing in higher-level cognitive functions. Beyond theoretical contributions, this work could influence future research paradigms and designs, and its implications could extend beyond academia, potentially impacting fields such as human-computer interaction and artificial intelligence. In clinical neuroscience, the findings may enhance our understanding of disorders like schizophrenia, autism, and dementia, potentially informing rehabilitation strategies and pharmacological interventions.