Grant Award Summary

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) awarded $493,444 to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory under the Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs (CFDA 93.279) beginning March 15, 2026, with completion targeted for December 31, 2028. This Project Grant supports fundamental research investigating the control principles underlying neural population dynamics, with specific focus on how feedback control mechanisms shape brain function. The research applies control theory to elucidate whether and how neural populations utilize feedback to correct errors in generating behavioral outputs, bridging normative computational theories with empirical neural data analysis.

The award funds the development of theoretical frameworks and experimental methodologies to advance understanding of how feedback controllability principles explain neural population activity across diverse behavioral tasks. By connecting control theory concepts—distinguishing feedback control (error correction) from feedforward control mechanisms—this research aims to provide principled explanations of neural dynamics that extend beyond traditional dimensionality reduction approaches. The work contributes to NIDA's broader mission of supporting basic neuroscience research that enhances knowledge of addiction-related neural mechanisms and cognitive processes underlying drug use and behavioral control.