Dr Sébastien BALLESTA Associate Professor, Unistra, HDR

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CV Summary

  • June 2022 : French Habilitation to Supervise Research (HDR), University of Strasbourg
  • Since November 2018 : Associate Professor, University of Strasbourg
  • October 2016 - September 2018 : Postdoctoral Researcher, Washington University, St Louis, USA – Dr Camillo Padoa-Schioppa
  • May 2015 - October 2016 : Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA – Dr Katalin Gothard
  • October 2010 - February 2015 : PhD in Social Neurosciences, Institute of Cognitive Sciences (ISC) – Bron, Dr Jean-René Duhamel
  • October 2008 - November 2010 : Master in BioSciences, ENS Lyon

Research projects

I study the biological and psychological foundations of decision-making and social cognition in non-human primates. My approach combines behavioral observations, cognitive tasks, and neuroanatomical data (acquired non-invasively via MRI). Various species of monkeys, living in groups and in semi-captivity, are involved in this research; some have access to autonomous cognitive testing devices (MALT). Through the establishment of a unified conceptual framework between behavior, cognition, and brain bases, we seek to create a fruitful interface between primatology and cognitive neurosciences, which we call Neuro-Primatology.

  • Research Axis 1 : Neuro-primatological approaches to social cognition

Students : Adam Provin (co-supervision: Julie Duboscq, MNHN, and Cécile Garcia, MNHN)

Funding : ANR – PRC, SocialNeuronet (coordinator: Sébastien Ballesta)

  • Research Axis 2 : Study of economic decision-making in primates

Students : Ayrton Guerillon (co-supervision: Mathieu Lefebvre, BETA)

Funding : IDEX 'Exploratory Research' and 'Attractiveness' – University of Strasbourg

  • Research Axis 3 : Comparative cognition of non-human primates

Students : Lucas Spicher (co-supervision with Cécile Garcia, MNHN)

Funding : ANR – PRC, SocEcoPrim (coordinator: Sébastien Bouret, ICM)

  • Methodological Developments : Sociometry, cognition, and well-being of non-human primates

Engineers : Clément Yasar, Adam Rimelé

Funding : FC3R – AMI – Animal Machine Interface