BioE Ph.D. Proposal Presentation

9-11 AM on Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Location: U.A. Whitaker Building, Room 3115 (McIntire Conference Room)

https://gatech.zoom.us/j/93114659524

Advisor: 

Garrett Stanley, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)

Committee:

Bilal Haider, Ph.D. (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University)

Chris Rozell, Ph.D. (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology)

Audrey Sederberg, Ph.D. (School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology)

Alan Emanuel, Ph.D. (Department of Cell Biology, Emory University)

Real-Time Cortical State Decoding for State-Aware Feedback Control

Sensory input is processed in the context of ongoing network activity, which shapes the resulting neural response. In cortex, these activity patterns—known as cortical states—have a profound impact on sensory processing and perception. However, cortical activity is highly variable from moment to moment, making it difficult to identify the principles by which cortical states influence sensory responses. This project aims to develop a real-time framework for tracking and controlling cortical states, enabling state-aware experimentation to elucidate the mechanisms underlying state-dependent processing. We will develop this framework in real-time capable software, using the primary whisker somatosensory cortex (S1) of the awake mouse as a model system. In Aim 1, we will develop a model-based framework for real-time decoding of cortical state from local field potential (LFP) signals. In Aim 2, we will characterize how activating natural modulatory pathways shapes cortical state transitions. In Aim 3, we will integrate these components into a closed-loop controller that steers cortical activity toward targeted states and delivers sensory stimuli in a state-aware manner. Together, these advances will establish a new framework for probing the precise roles of cortical state in sensory processing, with broader relevance for state tracking related to disordered brain function.