Peter A. Passaro
Current Research Interests
As a graduate student in the lab of Dr. Steve Potter I am working on trying to understand the dynamics of neural signaling in moderate size in vitro neural cultures (~10,000 cells). Our lab uses a variety of experimental tools. These include multielectrode array culture dishes for electrical signal analysis, fluorescence imaging microscopy to study biological properties and morphogenesis, and high-speed microscopy with voltage sensitive dyes to optically record neuron firings. My current line of research is focusing on the composition of cell types and the level of connectivity in our cultures to determine how the ratio of excitatory to inhibitory cells in our networks affects overall network dynamics.
The areas of research I plan to explore in the future includes the large-scale analysis of data generated by our experiments. To prepare for this task I am studying a broad range of fields in search of good mathematical models for our system. In the engineering domain these include signal processing and control theory. In the physical sciences I am focusing on nonlinear dynamics, spatio-temporal pattern formation, and complex systems. I have also recently become interested in the use of artificial intelligence systems for our pattern recognition needs and I will be exploring this topic in the future.
The goals of our lab include interfacing biological to artificial systems such as robotics and virtual environments. We hope to gain valuable insights into the nature of network development in nervous systems through embodying our cultures in these silicon exoselves. In order to build these interfaces though we need to have a robust knowledge of good stimulation parameters for these networks and be able to interpret patterns of received signals (hence my interest in the fields listed above). The insights gained from these experiments will likely produce a wealth of knowledge that will be used to build the next generation of neural interfaces and provide novel information for electrical engineers, computer scientists, and mathematicians for better computational and communications strategies.
Resume
|
Laboratory
for Neuroengineering Coulter
Dept of Bioengineering Georgia
Institute of Technology |
Phone
404-870-0526 Mobile
404-964-4776 ppassaro@neuro.gatech.edu |
Peter A. Passaro
|
Career
Objective |
Academic
research in the fields of neuroengineering and
neural dynamics |
|
Research
Interests |
·
Neural dynamics and network organization in biological systems ·
Biological information processing ·
Silico-neural interface engineering ·
Molecular Neuroscience – Neurotransmitters and Receptors ·
Cognitive Neuroscience – General and Adaptive AI |
|
Professional
experience |
2002
- present Georgia
Tech - NeuroLab Atlanta,
GA Graduate
Student · Pursuing M.S. and Ph.D. in Bioengineering · Studying in vitro neuronal cultures on microelectrode arrays 2001-
2002 Staff
Scientist · Gene engineering of T-cell for specific disease activity · Design of genetic constructs · Cloning and assembly of gene inserts 1999
– 2001 LifeEx Technologies Vice
President Operations/Science Officer · Managed day to day operations and setup of a startup company · Networked aging research scientists and biotech industry execs · Science Analyst for venture capital decision making 1999
– 2001 Maximum
Life Foundation Vice
President/Board Member · Managed setup of a nonprofit foundation · Researched and produced documents about health, nutrition, and aging research for public release · Recruited researchers (MD & PhD) for foundation advisory committee · Moderated and executed two aging research conferences · Managed fund raising events 1999
Derivium Capital Science
Analyst/Program Manager · Research and development for startup ventures · Managed spin-off of new company LifeEx Technologies 1998
– 1999 Alachua
County Schools High
School Teacher ·
· Science Fair Director |
|
Education |
1998 M.S.
Molecular Biology · Broad training including cell biology, neuroscience, physiology, and biochemistry 1994 B.S.
Microbiology |
|
Professional
Memberships |
· American Association for the Advancement of Science |
|
Publications |
·
Passaro, P.A. & Watts, J., Maximum Life
Foundation Report, Journal of Anti-Aging Medicine,
4:1, 69, Spring 2001
|
Brief Background on Neural Interfacing
The field has been around since the early 1900's when
researchers began recording from neurons with single electrodes. This type of
research comprises the sub-discipline of neuroscience known as
electrophysiology. For the last century the state of the art was to insert one
or more glass electrodes into a single neuron for recording or stimulation.
Only in the last decade have scientists been able to record and stimulate large
populations of neurons. The previous limitations of electrode technology and
computational power have now been overcome.
The current state of the art in the field is a technology
called multi-electrode array recording (and stimulation). There are two main
branches for this kind of work: in vivo and in vitro experiments.
In vivo work consists of placing a number of electrodes
directly into the brain of a live animal. Previously, this involved
individually inserting microwires (extremely time
consuming) Now, bundles of wires or a group of wires on small spikes are often
used as an array. A more recent development is the use of printed circuit
boards or semiconductor chips to create an array of electrodes on fine needles
which can be inserted. Even further developments include the use of semiconductor
arrays on flexible substrates that conform to the shape of the brain and the
creation of arrays which use micromotors to
reposition their electrodes so that a greater area can be sampled.
Working in vivo has the advantage of allowing you to look
at what goes on in a live brain with all the complexity of the 'real' system
(large scale questions about how the brain works). If instead you want more
control of your system and you want to answer fundamental questions about how
neural networks form and process information, you would use an in vitro system.
In vitro multi-electrode systems are typically glass
dishes with an array of microelectrodes embedded in the bottom of the dish. On
the dish a researcher will place a whole piece of nervous tissue, a slice, or a
disassociated batch of embryonic neurons. In the case of the embryonic neurons
you can observe all their network formation visually (through a microscope) in
addition to recording their electrical activity.
The technical challenges being
attacked by researchers right now include:
increasing
signal to noise ratios of electrodes
getting
more electrodes in a smaller space (increased recording resolution)
producing
3-D electrode arrays
creating
better signal processing software for separating individual neural signals
creating
better data interpretation software (A.l. pattern
recognition) to deal with tremendous data flow coming out of these experiments
Neural Interfacing Internet
Resources Links
Neural Interfacing Literature
Resources: Technical Books
The DIY guide for researchers just getting started with
multi-electrode recording Methods
for Neural Ensemble Recordings
Neural Coding
Advances
in Neural Population Coding
Theoretical
Neuroscience: Computational and Mathematical Modeling of Neural Systems
Spikes:
Exploring the Neural Code
Neural
Engineering
Spiking
Neuron Models
Spikes,
Decisions, and Actions: The Dynamical Foundations of Neuroscience
Signal Processing
Multivariate Bayesian Statistics: Models for Source Separation
and Signal Unmixing
Nonlinear
Biomedical Signal Processing, Dynamic Analysis and Modeling
Nonlinear
Biomedical Signal Processing, Fuzzy Logic, Neural Networks, and New Algorithms
Biomedical
Signal Processing and Signal Modeling
General Neuroscience
Principles
of Neural Science (the best neuroscience textbook - period)
Brain
Mapping: The Systems
Brain
Mapping: The Methods, Second Edition
Fundamental
Neuroscience, Second Edition
The Human Brain Coloring Book (Cos,
306)
Neural Interfacing Literature
Resources: Key Papers
This list is far from complete, but will give you good
overview of current work in the field.
In vitro
Two-dimensional monitoring of spiking networks in acute brain
slices.
Analytical characterization of spontaneous firing in networks
of developing rat cultured cortical neurons.
Properties of the evoked spatio-temporal
electrical activity in neuronal assemblies.
Activity-dependent enhancement in the reliability of correlated
spike timings in cultured cortical neurons.
In vivo
Multielectrode recordings: the next
steps
Techniques for long-term multisite
neuronal ensemble recordings in behaving animals
Thalamocortical and corticocortical interactions in the somatosensory
system
Actions from thoughts
Feature article: the structure and function of dynamic cortical
and thalamic receptive fields
High-resolution two-dimensional spatial mapping of cat striate
cortex using a 100-microelectrode array
Population coding in spike trains of simultaneously recorded
retinal ganglion cells
A neural interface for a cortical vision prosthesis
Neural Interfacing Literature
Resources: Popular Press
Technology
Review - Rat-Brained Robot
Controlling robots with the mind
CNN
- Monkeys use brain waves to movel a robotic arm
Wired - Unlocking the Paralysis Riddle
The Scientist - Neural Prosthetics Come Of Age As Research
Continues
Wired-Bionic Hardware
Wired-Vision Quest
Neural Interfacing Web Resources:
Academic Labs
Laboratory
for Neuroengineering - Georgia Tech
Pine Lab - Caltech
Jimbo Lab - NTT Basic Research
Laboratories
Freiberg
Brain Works
Streit Lab - Bern Switzerland
Center for
Network Neuroscience - UNT
Neuronal Network Electrophysiology - Nottingham UK
Neural
Engineering - Twente Netherlands
NBT group - Genova Italy
Nicolelis Lab - Duke University
Fromherz Lab - Max Planck Institute
Utah -
Center for Neural Interfaces
University of Michigan Center for Neural Communication
Technology
Stanford
Transducers Lab
Bioelectronics
at Seoul National University
Applied Neural Control Lab at Case Western Reserve
Neurolab at Arizona State University
University
of Michigan Direct Brain Interface Project
Cleveland
FES Center
Center for
Sensory-Motor Integration, Denmark
Neural
Interfacing Web Resources: Industry
Ayanda Biosystems
Multi
Channel Systems
Panasonic
Biocell-Interface
Bionic
Technologies
Cochlear
Medtronic
Neural
Signals
Advanced
Bionics
NeuroControl
IBVA Technology
Dobelle Group
Infineon
Plexon