Welcome to the NDL Website
The Neuronal Dynamics Laboratory is headed by John A. White, a USTAR Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Utah. From 1994-2007, John was a faculty member in Biomedical Engineering at Boston University. Currently, the lab operates in both Salt Lake City and Boston, but new students are being accepted only in Salt Lake City.
We use engineering approaches to understand how information is processed in the brain, with the goal of exploiting these findings to improve the human condition. Our specific methods include computational modeling of neuronal networks; the design and construction of customized instrumentation that interacts with human subjects and biological preparations in real time at high clock speeds; and electrophysiological and optical techniques for recording detailed information from single neurons and large neuronal networks.
Ongoing and future research questions in our laboratory include the following:- Why is coherent electrical activity of the cortex necessary for mental processes like learning and memory?
- What factors control this coherent activity, and how can such knowledge be applied to help patients with memory disorders and epilepsy?
- How can recent advances in computing technology be exploited to develop electronic devices that react to brain dysfunction in real time and react to restore normal function in neurological patients?
- Can we take advantage of nonlinear optical techniques to improve methods of measuring and controlling neuronal activity in reduced preparations and the intact brain?
- How can the principles of brain function be adapted to build novel “smart” devices?