Edward Callaway

Edward Callaway, PhD, is a Professor and Principal Investigator in the Systems Neurobiology Laboratory at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, holding the Vincent J. Coates Chair in Molecular Neurobiology. His research focuses on mapping neural circuits in the brain, particularly the visual cortex and its role in processing visual information. He pioneered viral tracing techniques using modified rabies viruses to study synaptic connections between neurons.

• Affiliations: Co-Director of the Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind.
• Education: BS in Biology (Stanford University), PhD in Biology (California Institute of Technology), Postdoctoral Fellow at Rockefeller University.

His work uncovers how neural circuits organize to enable perception and cognition, with applications to diseases like schizophrenia and autism. Key innovations include tools for tracing brain-wide connections and studying epigenomic diversity in neurons.

Research Interests: Neural circuit mapping, visual processing, viral circuit tracing, epigenomics, and the structural basis of brain function. Recent studies explore cortical circuits, thalamic pathways, and the interplay between cell-type specificity and connectivity.

Articles Overview: Recent publications focus on corticothalamic circuits, epigenomic analysis of neurons, and viral tracing techniques. Studies highlight the organization of visual pathways and the role of specific cell types in neural computation.

• Awards: National Academy of Sciences (2019), Krieg Cortical Discoverer Award (2013), American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2012).

Advising & Grants: Supervises a lab of ~12 graduate students and postdocs, including projects on circuit tracing and optogenetics. Collaborates internationally on projects like the BRAIN Initiative.

Labs/Teams: The Callaway Lab at Salk employs interdisciplinary approaches, combining viral tools, electrophysiology, and genomics to dissect cortical function.