Vivek Venkatachalam

Vivek Venkatachalam is an Assistant Professor of Physics at Northeastern University's College of Science, specializing in experimental biophysics and neurophysiology. His research focuses on developing tools to measure and manipulate whole-brain activity in freely behaving C. elegans, integrating advanced neurotechnology and microscopy techniques to study neural development and behavior.

He earned a PhD in Physics from Harvard University (2012) and dual SB degrees in Electrical Science and Engineering and Physics from MIT (2006). His lab, based in Northeastern's Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex, collaborates with the Institute for Chemical Imaging of Living Systems and the Biology Department.

Key research areas include developmental neurophysiology of C. elegans from birth to adulthood, optogenetic manipulation, calcium imaging, and quantitative behavior analysis. The lab pioneered whole-brain imaging tools for C. elegans, enabling studies of neural activity patterns and their relationship to behavior. Current projects explore sensory integration, developmental decision-making, and neural circuit remodeling.

His team includes PhD students Joshua Whitener, Mahdi Torkashvand, James Yu, and Maedeh Seyedolmohadesin, along with postdoc Dr. Jinmahn Kim. Venkatachalam's work bridges physics, biology, and engineering, with applications in understanding fundamental nervous system principles.