[CCoE Notice] Seminar: Optogenetic Brain Interfaces

[Grayson, Audrey A]

Optogenetic Brain Interfaces
Presented By: Ramin Pashaie, PhD

10:30-11:30 AM
September 10, 2015
Room N 355 Engineering Building 1
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
University of Houston
Abstract—

The brain is a large network of interconnected neurons where each cell functions as a nonlinear processing element. Unraveling the mysteries of information processing in the complex networks of the brain requires versatile neurostimulation and imaging techniques. Optogenetics is a new stimulation method which allows the activity of neurons to be modulated by light.
For this purpose, specific cell-types of interest are genetically targeted to produce light-sensitive proteins. Once these proteins are expressed, neural activity can be controlled by exposing the cells to light of appropriate wavelengths. Optogenetics provides a unique combination of features, including multimodal control over neural function and genetic targeting of specific cell-types. These versatile features are highly suitable for the study of the circuitry of psychiatric and neurological disorders. The advent of optogenetics was followed by extensive research aimed to produce new instrumentation for light delivery or controlling light distribution inside the brain as well as neuroimaging systems which are necessary to monitor induced activities. In this presentation, I will summarize our recent endeavors in developing technologies for optogenetic experiments.

Biosketch—

[cid:6F38EE2C-CC1B-48F3-9A2F-F859DA90EB83]Dr. Ramin Pashaie received his Ph.D.  in electrical and systems engineering from University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA, in December 2007, under supervision of Professor Nabil H. Farhat. His Thesis was focused on understanding the mechanisms of information processing in complex networks of the cortex. After earning his Ph.D. degree, he joined Prof. Karl A. Deisseroth lab as a Postdoctoral Scholar in the bioengineering department at Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. During his Postdoctoral training, he concentrated on technology development for optical modulation of neural activity using the tools of photonics and molecular genetics. In September 2009, he joined the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, USA, as an Assistant Professor and the Director of the Bio-Inspired Sciences and Technology Laboratory (BIST-LAB), where the research is about optical interrogation of the dynamics of large scale neural networks mostly in the brain cortical regions. In particular, his current research interests include implementation of neuroprosthetic devices and optoelectronic neuroimaging instrumentation for brain machine interface applications. Dr. Pashaie has received NSF Career Award from the Biophotonics program in Feb. 2015 and NARSAD Young Investigator Award twice in Aug. 2013 and Aug. 2015.
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