معرفی
Damon A. Clark is a Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Physics, and Neuroscience at Yale University. He is co-Director of Undergraduate Studies (co-DUS) for the Neuroscience Major and co-Director of Graduate Studies (co-DGS) for the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program. Clark is affiliated with the Quantitative Biology Institute and the Wu Tsai Institute. He earned his PhD in 2007 from Harvard University, focusing on physics and neuroscience.
Research Interests: His lab investigates how neural circuits perform computations, particularly in the fruit fly's visual system. Using genetic tools, they study how neurons contribute to motion detection and decision-making. The lab employs experimental techniques including electrophysiology, imaging, and behavioral analysis.
Awards: Clark has been recognized with the Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship (2015), Searle Scholar Award (2014), and Smith Family Award (2013).
Students and Trainees: Clark has mentored numerous students, including PhD candidates in Neuroscience, Physics, and interdisciplinary programs, as well as undergraduates contributing to projects in the lab. Notable alumni include Bara Badwan (PhD '20) and Jacob Zavatone-Veth (PhD '19).
Labs and Collaborations: The lab collaborates with researchers at Yale and institutions like Harvard and Princeton, focusing on topics ranging from circuit dynamics in flies to comparative studies with mice and humans. Recent work explores collision avoidance, visual adaptation, and the neural basis of motion illusions.
Publications: Over 50 peer-reviewed articles, including high-impact studies in Neuron, Current Biology, and Nature, highlight his contributions to understanding neural computation in naturalistic contexts.
