Rafael Yuste is a Professor of Biological Sciences and Neuroscience in Columbia University, Co­Director of the Kavli Institute of Brain Science and Director of the NeuroTechnology Center (NTC) at Columbia University. He has scientific expertise in the fields of the anatomy, physiology, and computation in cortical microcircuits with an extensive track record in the development of optical methods for neuroscience, including calcium imaging of neural circuits, two­photon imaging and manipulation of neuronal activity, with patented inventions such as optochemical compounds and holographic microscopy. He led the group of researchers that first proposed the BRAIN initiative and is currently a member of the NIH BRAIN workgroup.