Bio
Vivek Athalye is a Senior Scientist at the Allen Institute in the Neural Dynamics accelerator. Vivek is interested in the mechanisms that enable neuronal populations to generate and learn dynamics that control our behavior. His lab develops computational models and closed-loop interfaces with the brain, integrating 2-photon microscopy and holographic optogenetics, electrophysiology, and behavior. These read/write interfaces between the brain and computational models reveal causal mechanisms for the control of behavior.
Vivek received a B.S. in electrical engineering from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer sciences from UC Berkeley, where his doctoral work with Dr. Jose Carmena revealed that neuronal populations learn and generalize shared dynamics to directly control a brain-computer interface. These findings have applications for new algorithms to decode the brain. Prior to joining the Allen Institute, he was a postdoctoral fellow in neuroscience at Columbia University with Dr. Rui Costa and Dr. Darcy Peterka, where he found that ensembles of striatal neurons specify and control actions at fine motor resolution. This work lays a foundation for understanding movement disorders such as Huntington’s disease and dystonia.
Research Areas
Affiliations
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Senior Scientist
Allen Institute
Education
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Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
University of California, Berkeley -
M.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
University of California, Berkeley -
B.S. in Electrical Engineering
Stanford University