2007: PhD from
Boston University, Advisor: Dr. Nancy Kopell
Beginning Sept. 2007: Joint post-doctoral research fellow at Mass. General Hospital
(Harvard Medical School) and Boston University Mentor: Dr. Stephanie Jones
My research has focused on modeling cortical rhythms in
schizophrenia under the direction of Nancy Kopell. We have been working with researchers Steven Stufflebeam
from Mass. General Imaging Center and Peter Siekemeier McLean Hospital to study
pathologies in the rhythmic electrical responses of the auditory cortex of
persons with schizophrenia when given periodic stimuli. The modeling is used to understand how
known deficits at the cellular and synaptic level, in particular, alterations
to cortical fast spiking interneurons, might affect responses to auditory
stimuli. Mathematical
analysis of our models using discrete dynamic maps has provided insight into
how inhibitory changes can impact drive response in the gamma/beta range.
Beginning fall 2007, I am working with Stephanie Jones (MGH)
and Chris Jones (MIT) using computational modeling to examine possible impacts
of blood flow on neural function.