Erdem Varol

Erdem Varol is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, NYU. He leads the Neuroinformatics Lab, focusing on computational tools for neuroscience data analysis, and is part of the Visualization, Imaging and Data Analysis (VIDA) Center. Previously, he was a postdoc at Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute and earned his Ph.D. in Electrical & Systems Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, alongside an A.M. in Statistics from Wharton.

His research integrates computer science, neuroscience, and genomics to model neural connectivity via genetic signatures. Notable contributions include ConnectionMiner, a tool linking gene expression and connectome data in fruit fly motor systems. Varol's work bridges transcriptomics and connectomics, addressing how neurons establish functional circuits during development.

• Education:
• Ph.D., Electrical & Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania
• A.M., Statistics, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Research interests span computational neuroscience, computer vision, and deep learning applications in understanding neural networks. His NIH/NIMH K99/R00 Award (2022) supports this work.

• Awards: NIH/NIMH K99/R00 Award (2022)
• Labs/Teams: Neuroinformatics Lab (NYU), VIDA Center

Publications emphasize neuroanatomical subtyping, AI-driven neuroimaging analysis, and C. elegans molecular neuroscience. Ongoing projects aim to expand these methods to human and vertebrate systems, with implications for neurological disorder diagnosis and treatment.