Matthew Getz

Matt is a fourth-year graduate student in the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, completing his Ph.D. research at the University of Chicago with Brent Doiron. Prior to joining the Doiron Lab at Pitt, before its move to Chicago, Matt received a master’s in mathematics at the City College of New York where he worked with Asohan Amarasingham on problems related to the statistical analysis of neural data. His graduate work is focused on understanding how cognitive states such as attention affect the dynamics within and information flow through neural circuits.

Principal Investigator: Brent Doiron

Fellow: Alex Negrón

Project:
Cortical circuits form the building blocks of higher cognitive function. Decades of work have revealed a remarkable diversity of cell types embedded within these circuits, which display unique response properties across cognitive states. However, the role of this diversity in shaping neural response dynamics and information flow across circuits is still not well understood. Using computer simulations and mathematical analysis, we propose to study problems related to these questions; namely, how is information flow between neural circuits affected by the modulation of these circuits by cognitive processes and how does neural diversity factor into this process? This project would best suit a mathematically mature (working knowledge of linear algebra) fellow with programming experience (e.g. python, julia, Matlab). Additionally, this project would involve collaboration with Gregory Handy, a postdoctoral researcher in the Doiron group at the University of Chicago.