معرفی
Gary Marsat is an Associate Professor at West Virginia University's School of Medicine, with dual appointments in the Department of Neuroscience and the Department of Biology. He directs an interdisciplinary research program investigating sensory processing and neural coding in weakly electric fish, integrating systems neuroscience, computational modeling, and neuroethology approaches.
Education
- PhD in Biology, McGill University (2007)
- Postdoctoral Fellowships: University of Ottawa (Center for Neural Dynamics & Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, 2007-2009; Department of Physics, 2009-2012)
Research Focus
Dr. Marsat's lab studies how sensory information is encoded and transformed across neural circuits, with emphasis on electrosensory communication signals. Key research themes include: 1) Task-specific neural coding strategies for detection vs. discrimination, 2) Spatial processing of conspecific signals, 3) Cellular mechanisms of sensory processing (e.g., sodium channel distributions), and 4) Comparative neuroethology across electric fish species. The lab employs in vivo electrophysiology, behavioral assays, computational analyses, and imaging techniques.
Publication Trends
Recent publications (2018-2023) demonstrate a strong focus on sensory coding plasticity, spatial information processing in electrosensory systems, and computational methods for neural decoding. Work consistently bridges cellular mechanisms (e.g., dendritic properties) with population-level coding principles and behavioral outputs. Comparative studies across Apteronotus species reveal evolutionary adaptations in neural processing.
Research Support
Primary funding sources include the National Science Foundation, West Virginia University, and Air Force grants supporting 2-photon imaging initiatives.
Laboratory & Advising
Dr. Marsat leads an active research team including graduate students Kate Allen, Daniel Williamson, and Sree Indrani Motipally. The lab investigates neural circuit dynamics underlying sensory-guided behaviors using weakly electric fish as model organisms.
