Neural Engineering and Translation Labs aim to advance the understanding of neuro-cognitive circuits across the lifespan. We apply neural engineering methods in both animal models and human research to stimulate brain plasticity in target circuits and change behavior.

Team

Directors
Dr. Jyoti Mishra
Dr. Jyoti Mishra    pdf mail
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry

Focus: Neurotechnology studies in humans to advance diagnostics and therapeutics for mental health disorders.

Dr. Dhakshin Ramanathan
Dr. Dhakshin Ramanathan    pdf mail
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry

Focus: Neural engineering studies in animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Postdoctoral Fellows
Dr. Jonathan Mishler

Neuro-Cognition

Dr. Jonathan Mishler    mail
Dr. Miranda Francoeur

Animal Neuro-Cognition

Dr. Miranda Francoeur    mail
Dr. Satish Jaiswal

Human Neuro-Cognition

Dr. Satish Jaiswal    mail
Morteza Salimi

Animal Neuro-Cognition

Morteza Salimi    mail
Research Associates
Alyssa Terry

Animal Neuro-Cognition

Alyssa Terry    mail
Houtan Afshar

Psychiatry

Houtan Afshar    mail
Noelle Lee

Animal Neuro-Cognition

Noelle Lee    mail
Graduate Students
Jason Nan

Neural Engineering

Jason Nan    mail
Suzie Purpura

Human Neuro-Cognition

Suzie Purpura    mail
Medical Students
Vojislav Maric

Human Neuro-Cognition

Vojislav Maric    mail
Undergraduate Students
Karun Mokha

Animal Neuro-Cognition

Karun Mokha    mail
Tatiana Podhajny

Human Neuro-Cognition

Tatiana Podhajny    mail
Niranjala Yogaratnam

Human Neuro-Cognition

Niranjala Yogaratnam    mail
Aymal Malik

Human Neuro-Cognition

Aymal Malik    mail
Cora Lee

Human Neuro-Cognition

Cora Lee    mail
Jon Claros

Animal Neuro-Cognition

Jon Claros    mail
Ryan Trang

Global Health

Ryan Trang    mail
Grace Reilly

Human Neuro-Cognition

Grace Reilly    mail
Sripad Karne

Human Neuro-Cognition

Sripad Karne    mail
Yiqing Bo

Machine Learning

Yiqing Bo    mail
Reno Guo

Human Neuro-Cognition

Reno Guo    mail

Animal Neuro-Cognition

Tiffany Walker    mail
Yun Seo Chang

Design and Interaction

Yun Seo Chang    mail
Joshua Ansay

Animal Neuro-Cognition

Joshua Ansay    mail
McKenzie Buszkiewic

Human Neuro-Cognition

McKenzie Buszkiewic    mail
Affiliates
Alejandro Ojeda

Neural Engineering

Alejandro Ojeda    github mail
Alankar Misra

Mobile Applications

Alankar Misra    github mail
Pragathi Balasubramani

Computational Psychiatry

Pragathi Balasubramani    website mail
James Ades

Human Neuro-Cognition

James Ades    mail
 

Research

Our research has four major goals:

  1. To better understand typical functioning of neural circuits underlying cognitive behaviors.

    For our human studies, we have developed an integrated software-hardware platform, the Brain Engagement platform (BrainE for short) that deploys rapid, mobile cognitive assessments with wireless electroencephalography (EEG). Using BrainE, we are studying neural circuits in humans in the lab, in clinics and international community settings.

    Our animal studies have implemented a complementary BrainER platform for studying neuro-cognition in rodents using single unit and local-field potential (LFP) recordings coupled with rodent behavior. These studies aim to understand micro-circuit contributions to the neural dynamics underlying cognition.

  2. To better understand how neural circuits underlying cognitive behaviors are impacted in neuropsychiatric disorders.

    Our human studies are focused on unraveling mechanistic, functional neural markers in individuals who have suffered childhood adversity, in adults with depression and anxiety, and in age-related cognitive decline.

    Our animal studies are currently examining rodent models of traumatic brain Injury and schizophrenia to understand how genetic and/or environmental perturbations result in specific cognitive impairments.

  3. To develop and advance closed-loop technologies for targeted treatment of neural circuit dysfunctions.

    We are engineering and testing targeted and personalized circuit manipulation approaches, which integrate cognitive training, brain stimulation, neurofeedback as well as lifestyle based interventions.

    We utilize long-term digital monitoring along with machine learning methods to develop treatment personalization strategies.

  4. To study the relationships between neuro-cognition, mental health and pressing societal issues.

    In our human research, we are embedding our digital mental health technologies within communities, as well as leveraging open-source databases, to better understand how neural, cognitive and mental health factors interact with diverse societal issues including race, education, crime, loneliness and climate change.

research

Technologies

BrainE logo
BrainE - Our Brain Engagement platform to assess & train neural and cognitive functions across the human lifespan. Contact us for research access. Read our privacy policy.
 
WellMind - Our personalized mood monitoring and intervention tech. Read more.
 
BrainER logo
BrainER - Our Brain Engagement platform for Rodents to assess & train neural and cognitive functions in animals. Contact us for research access.
 
Simulink Brain Signal Interface logo
SimBSI - Our Simulink Brain Signal Interface for executing closed loop neuroscience experiments. Access here.
 
DSI - Our Distributed Source Imaging Toolbox for electromagnetic signals. Access here.
 

Book


 

Contact us to purchase a signed copy of the 5-star rated Little Brain or purchase online. All book proceeds contribute to our brain health research.


Participate

We have several ongoing research studies:

Brain Mapping | Brain Stimulation | Family Training | Healthcare Professionals Training | Personalized Wellness
 
Please email to participate.

 

At NEATLabs, we believe

Science is real

SCIENCE
is real

Love is love

LOVE
is love

Black lives matter

BLACK LIVES
matter

Feminism is for everyone

FEMINISM
is for everyone

Circuits are cool

CIRCUITS
are cool

Immigrants are welcome

IMMIGRANTS
are welcome

 

We take this racial justice, inclusion and diversity pledge.

 

Publications

2023

2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000

  • Kothekar V, Sahi S, Mishra J. Enzyme selectivity of new cyclooxygenase-2/5 lipoxygenase inhibitors using molecular modeling approach. Indian Journal of Biochemistry & Biophysics 37: 86-96. PMID: 10983419. 2000.
 

News

Check out our NEATLabs Weekly


2023

2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017

 

Funding

UCSD School of Medicine
 
Veterans Affairs
 
Kavli Foundation
 
Burroughs Wellcome Funds
 
Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
Sanford Institute for Empathy & Compassion
Tang Prize
 
Hope For Depression
National Institute of Mental Health
Sanford Institute for Empathy & Compassion
 

Positions

Postdoctoral Fellows

We are always looking for talented postdoctoral fellows interested in our integrated research foci. Please contact NEATLabs directors with your cover letter, CV and academic transcript.