Neuroengineering

neuroengineeringResearch in neuroengineering at the University of Rochester involves the study of biological mechanisms of neural systems and the integration of these systems with devices and diagnostic techniques.

In particular, our faculty has special interests in the vestibular, auditory, and visual sensory systems. Students have opportunities in clinical, translational and basic science research involving both experimental and computational neuroscience.

Neuroengineering often refers to the application of engineering principles to:

  • Understand the biological mechanisms of neural systems (reverse engineering, sensation, neuronal disorders)
  • Design or construct devices that interface or interact with the nervous system (forward engineering, neural prosthetics, equipment for treatment or diagnostics)

Affiliated professional society: The Rochester Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience

Example Research Projects

neuroengineering1neuroengineering2micro-fluidics in the inner earorgan of corti mechanicsneuroengineering52nd generation adenovirusquantifying afferent strength
auditory processing of complex soundsaugmented acoustic environment affects IC unitsbiomimetic microstimulationcomputational models for auditory-nerve fiberscontrolling a dexterous prosthesis with neural signalsdimensionality reductionmodeling the detection of tones
visual motion sensitivity functional pathways in the auditory systemauditory brainstem responsesdiagnostic tests auditoryselective auditory attentionmeurophysiology of music

Current Researchers

Laurel H. Carney, PhDAuditory neuroscience; neurophysiological, behavioral, and computational studies of hearing; signal processing for hearing aids
Benjamin T. Crane, MD, PhDThe interaction of vision, the vestibular system, and human disease on motion perception
Greg DeAngelis, PhDVisual neuroscience; multi-sensory integration; neural coding; linking neurons to perception
Greg T. Gdowski, PhDVestibular neurophysiology: sensory neural control underlying the coordination of postural movements
Edmund Lalor, PhDHuman sensory neurophysiology; Brain-computer interfacing; Computational neuroscience; Neural encoding of natural sounds; Sensory processing in psychiatric and developmental disorders
Anne E. Luebke, PhDRole of cochlear outer hair cells in hearing and hearing loss, at both the molecular and systems levels
Ross Maddox, PhDAuditory neuroscience; Audio-visual integration; Selective attention; Development of electroencephalography paradigms for research and diagnosis
Jong-Hoon Nam, PhDBiophysics of inner ear sensory cells, cell mechanics
Maiken Nedergaard, MD, DMScThe basic biology of glial cells in the CNS and the role of astrocytes in several neurological diseases, including stroke, spinal cord injury, epilepsy, tremor, and ALS; Research is aimed at defining new strategies for the treatment of neurological diseases that target astrocytic dysfunction
Marc H. Schieber, MD, PhDNeural control of individuated finger movements
Scott H. Seidman, PhDVestibular systems, motor learning, physiological models, multi-sensory integration
David R. Williams, PhDVision science, advanced ophthalmic technologies