Adriano Borsa

BioE Ph.D. Proposal Presentation

2-4 PM on Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025

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

https://gatech.zoom.us/j/91412336359

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

Perception depends not only on the stimulus, but also on the state of the brain when that stimulus arrives. The cortex fluctuates between distinct cortical states that affect how sensory signals are transformed and perceived. Although cortical states strongly influence neural responses, their rapidly shifting and variable nature has made it difficult to define the principles by which they shape sensory processing. This project aims to overcome that limitation by establishing 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 the decoding and control algorithms underlying this framework within the constraints of real-time implementation, using the whisker primary 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 the activation of 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 novel framework for probing the precise roles of cortical state in sensory processing, with broader relevance for state tracking related to neurological disorders.