Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour
Neuroscience Graduate Program

Home Research Publications People Positions Multimedia


Biosketch -- Daniel Goldreich



Current Position
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour
Director, Honours BSc Neuroscience Program
McMaster University

Education and Work History
I received a B.S. in physics from the University of California, San Diego (1986), and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of California, San Francisco (1994), with postdoctoral training in neurobiology at the University of Pittsburgh (1994-1997). Prior to joining McMaster in 2005, I was an associate professor at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. 

Research Experience
My research as a graduate student in the laboratory of Michael Merzenich, and as a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Daniel Simons, focused on the neural basis of tactile perception in the rat somatosensory cortex, using in vivo single- and multi-unit electrophysiological recordings and intrinsic signal optical imaging.  At Duquesne University, I transitioned to tactile psychophysics, investigating tactile spatial and vibrotactile acuity in blind and sighted humans. At McMaster University, I have continued to pursue psychophysical investigations into many aspects of tactile perception, and have incorporated Bayesian perceptual modeling as a central component of my lab's research program.

Research Interests
Tactile psychophysics
The neural basis of tactile perception
Perception as Bayesian inference

Research Support
My research at Duquesne University was supported by an Academic Research Enhancement Award from the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  Currently, my research is supported by an individual Discovery Grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

Teaching Experience
My teaching assignments have included:

McMaster University
Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology (PNB 2XB3)
Neuroscience Tutorial (NEUROSCI 2XN0)
Bayesian Inference (PSYCH 4KK3 / PSYCH 730)
Intro to Bayesian Inference (PSYCH 3KK3)
Fundamentals of Neuroscience (PSYCH 2F03)
Behavioural Neuroscience I: Survey (PSYCH 3BN3)
Advanced Statistics and Computational Methods I (PSYCH 711)
Contemporary Problems in Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour (PSYCH 720)

Duquesne University
Neuroscience (HLTSC 403)
Principles of Research (HLTSC 430)
Modern Scientific Inquiry (REHSC 510)
Human Vision (OCCTH 564)
Quantitative Research Methods (REHSC 610)

Invited International Teaching
Country: Spain
Institute: Universidad de Granada, Campus Universitario de Cartuja
Date: June 8, 2011
Seminar Title: Investigando la Percepción Táctil [Investigating Tactile Perception]
Description: I presented this three-hour educational seminar in Spanish to Masters students in Cognitive Neuroscience, within the Department of Experimental Psychology and Physiology of Behaviour. Following a brief introduction to somatosensory neuroanatomy, the seminar described methods used in my laboratory and others to measure the sense of touch, and the results of studies revealing the effects of sex, age, and blindness on tactile spatial acuity.
Country: Portugal
Institute: Instituto Gulbenkian De Ciencia, Oeiras.
Dates: June 22 - 26, 2009.
Course Title: Computational Neuroscience: Bayesian Models of Brain and Behaviour. 
Description: This graduate course, taught to students in the PhD program in Computational Biology and Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, met from 10:00 am - 6:00 pm daily. I was one of five professors presenting a series of daily lectures and leading project groups; the other professors were Konrad Kording, Weiji Ma, Jonathan Pillow, and Alan Stocker.

Country: Venezuela
Institute: Universidad de Oriente, Núcleo de Sucre, Cumaná.
Dates: August 6 - 10, 2001.
Course Title: Circuitos Neurales [Neural Circuits]
Description: I taught this five-day introduction to neurophysiology and functional neuroanatomy in Spanish, four hours daily. The course was attended by physics, biology, and chemistry students and faculty.

Country: Venezuela
Institute: Universidad de Oriente, Núcleo de Sucre, Cumaná. 
Dates: August 4 - 8, 1997.
Course Title: Introducción a la Electrofisiología del Sistema Nervioso: Interfaz con el Mundo Físico [Introduction to the Electrophysiology of the Nervous System: Interface with the Physical World].
Description: I taught this five-day introduction to neurophysiology and sensory systems in Spanish, two hours daily. The course was attended by physics, biology, and chemistry students and faculty.

Teaching Awards
For those who love teaching, the activity is truly its own reward. The successful class is a deeply satisfying interaction between teacher and students. On top of this, occasional formal recognition is much appreciated.  I am grateful to have received the Center for Teaching Excellence Creative Teaching Award (Duquesne University, 2001), the Rangos School of Health Sciences President's Award for Faculty Excellence in Teaching (Duquesne University, 2002), the MSU Pedagogical Innovation Award (McMaster University, 2013-14), the MSU Excellence in Teaching Award, Science Faculty (McMaster University, 2015-16), and the McMaster President's Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teaching and Learning (2019).  Here's a YouTube clip from my 2014 interview with the MSU: