Dr. Alexander Friedman
Biological Sciences
Dr. Friedman's lab focuses on finding principles of brain computation in order to create biologically-informed treatments for disorders like addiction, PTSD and depresion.
Significance of the work
- Project 1 Title: Participate in behavioral assays and neural recordings in rats and mouse models of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disease
Project Description: Help us do experiments to solve the mysteries of the brain! You will learn to design and run advanced behavioral decision-making assays in genetically-engineered mouse models of neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. You will also participate in building recording devices and performing advanced in vivo electrophysiological and imaging recordings in behaving mice, assist in brain surgeries to implant these devices, and help to analyze your own data. - Project 2 Title: Develop Python and Arduino-based behavioral assays for testing and imaging brains of mouse models of neurodegenerative disease
Project Description: Help us solve the mysteries of the brain using your Python, Arduino and Matlab skills! You will help us to develop new features for a custom written Python program and Arduino-microcontroller-based behavioral training system for mice. We will interface this system with neuronal imaging and circuit physiology and recording systems to allow recording of the striatum of mice during different behavioral tasks. This project combines electronics, optics and programming with novel approaches to data analysis. - Project 3: Perform computational analyses of electrophysiological and imaging data from the brain
Project Description: Help us solve the mysteries of the brain using your computer programming and math skills! You will help us analyze large data sets focused on electrophysiological and imaging recordings from the striatum of rats during different behavioral tasks. This project combines classical statistical methods with novel approaches to data analysis. We will develop new mathematical models based on real data and will test these in specially designed experiments.
Research questions
Specifically our research will address the following questions:
- Develop behavioral tasks that are relevant to decision-making and learning
- Record a critical mass of neurons that is sufficient to decode neuronal activity.
- Analyze the complex data that results from these high-density circuit decoding
- Develop modeling tools to extract, from experimental evidence across multiple source, shared principles that may link circuit activity to specific behaviors.
Methods to be learned
In our lab, you will learn about brain physiology; learn about mouse and rat behaviorl how to build electronic, optic and 3D printed mechanical parts to create brain implants and build brain chambers. You will also be able to learn how to analyze big data, create analitycal and statistical tool; create your own algorithms and computational models that will relate circuit dynamic behavior.