Angus Silver is a neuroscientist whose work has contributed to our understanding of synaptic and neuronal function and to information processing in the brain. By developing and applying methods for quantifying synaptic properties his work has shown how central synapses transmit and transform signals and can sustain high frequency signalling. He has quantified the functional properties of electrical synapses and established how neurons can perform certain arithmetic operations.

Using theoretical approaches, he has provided insights into the structure and function of neural circuits, showing that synaptic connectivity within the cerebellar input layer is optimal for encoding information and separating overlapping activity patterns.

His group have developed new tools for studying circuit function. These include a high-speed random access 3D fluorescence microscope that uses an acousto-optic lens to scan and focus the laser beam, enabling measurement of spatially distributed neuronal activity at high speed. He has also coordinated the development of software for building models of neural circuits (neuroConstruct.org), a language for standardizing model descriptions (NeuroML.org), and a repository of standardized models and infrastructure for collaborative model development (OpenSourceBrain.org).