NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2010

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This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2010. The fellowship supports a research and training plan entitled "Understanding massively parallel neural computations: next-generation analysis of simultaneous recordings from thousands of neurons" for Peter Li. The host institution for this research is Salk Institute for Biological Studies, and the sponsoring scientist is E.J. Chichilnisky. Understanding the massively parallel computations of the nervous system requires high-resolution techniques for monitoring the activity of many neurons in a circuit simultaneously, combined with mathematical approaches to analyze and interpret the results. Recent advances in technologies allow simultaneous recording of thousands of retinal ganglion cells (neurons in the eye that process information about the visual world and transmit that information to the brain). This project implements next-generation computational analyses for massively parallel neural recordings. For example: how do the many known subtypes of retinal ganglion cells work in parallel? Technical challenges include large volumes of data and high computing demands. Thus, one component of the project is leveraging high-performance supercomputing clusters, both to allow new analyses that would be impractical on standard computers, and to allow efficient deployment of analyses over this large (~100 TB) existing data archive. Training goals for this project include building mathematical knowledge in systems analysis, functional analysis, and information theory, which are valuable skills in today's biological research fields. Understanding how vision works would be a singular triumph as well as a major stepping stone towards the greater goal of unlocking the mysteries of the brain. Valuable knowledge is being gained by comparing human vision and cognition to the abilities and specializations of other species.