Neuroscience Faculty

Thomas R. Clandinin: Assistant Professor of Neurobiology

My lab addresses two distinct questions. That is, how can precise patterns of neuronal connections be genetically programmed during development, and how, once formed, can such circuits be used to mediate complex visual behaviors? Using the fruit fly visual system as a model, we employ genetic approaches to manipulate the functions of genes and neurons. From this, we infer specific developmental roles for particular molecules, and infer specific computational roles for individual neurons.

Karl Deisseroth: Assistant Professor of Bioengineering and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Professor Deisseroth’s research group focuses on developing molecular and cellular tools to observe, perturb, and reengineer brain circuits. His group is based in the James H. Clark Center at Stanford and uses a range of techniques including neural stem cell and tissue engineering methods, electrophysiology, molecular biology, neural activity imaging, animal behavior, and computational neural network modeling. Professor Deisseroth, who is also a clinician in the Department of Psychiatry, uses novel electromagnetic brain stimulation techniques in human patients for therapeutic purposes

Liqun Luo: Biological Sciences and Neurobiology

Liqun Luo seeks to understand how neural circuits assemble during development and contribute to sensory perception. He has developed the MARCM technique to track neurons in the fruit fly brain and is perfecting a similar system for studying mice.

Daniel Palanker: Associate Professor of Ophthalmology

Professor Palanker's group studies mechanisms of interaction of electric field with biological cells and tissues in a broad range of frequencies - from electrostatics to optics, and develops their diagnostic, therapeutic and prosthetic applications. Optical mechanisms of interaction involve multiphoton ionization and photo-thermal interactions including explosive vaporization, cavitation, cellular hyperthermia. Effects of quasi-static electric field on biological cells include neural stimulation, electroporation, vascular stimulation and plasma-mediated discharges.
Therapeutic applications include surgical technologies with cellular precision based on pulsed plasma-mediated interactions and computer-guided laser therapy. We also study effects of retinal migration and plasticity following the photocoagulation. We develop optoelectronic retinal prosthesis for restoration of sight to blind patients with retinal degeneration. This project involves development of photosensitive subretinal implants, studies of retinal response to patterned electrical stimuli, effects of cellular migration and retinal rewiring following subretinal implantation of 3-dimensional structures.

Mark Schnitzer: Assistant Professor of Applied Physics and Biological Sciences

Professor Schnitzer’s research group studies optical imaging and cerebellar neural circuits. By combining imaging, electrophysiological, behavioral, and computational approaches, the Schnitzer group seeks to understand cerebellar dynamics underlying learning, memory, and forgetting. The group focuses on classical eyeblink conditioning, a form of associative memory that depends on cerebellar function. The Schnitzer group has shown that they can image in live mice large number of Purkinje neurons, which are thought to be associated with learning and memory. The Schnitzer group has invented two forms of fiber optic imaging, one- and two-photon fluorescence microendoscopy, which enable in vivo imaging of blood.

Krishna Shenoy: Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Neurosciences

Professor Shenoy heads the Neural Prosthetic Systems Laboratory at Stanford University. His research group conducts neuroscience (systems & cognitive neuroscience) and neuroengineering (electrical, bio, and biomedical engineering) research. Professor Shenoy’s group investigates the neural basis of sensorimotor integration and coordination, and designs neural prosthetic systems to assist disabled patients.

Stephen Smith: Professor of Molecular and Cell Physiology

Professor Smith’s group studies brain development and function. The group’s special interests include dynamic and structural aspects of synaptogenesis, neural circuit formation and synaptic plasticity. Dr. Smith’s group develops and uses sophisticated optical imaging techniques to study neural cells in cultures, tissues and intact organisms. Recent projects have addressed the dynamic relationships between dendrite growth and synapse formation, and the patterning of neural response to visual stimulation during early brain development.

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The Stanford Photonics Research Center

Neuroscience Faculty

Research

Stanford Photonics Research Center