Joel Tabak, University of Exeter, England

Joel Tabak, PhD
Senior Lecturer in Computational Neurosciences
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter

Abstract

The dynamic clamp technique was developed 30 years ago, but the majority of electrophysiologists haven’t used it. During this talk, I will explain the power of this technique at the interface between mathematical modelling and electrophysiology. I will use examples from my lab to illustrate its usefulness: demonstrating the role played by specific ion channels in determining the electrical activity of pituitary cells.

Biography

My research combines experiments, computation, and mathematics to understand the production of rhythmic activity in biological systems. Oscillations enable coordinated activity within biological systems, and disruptions in these oscillations can cause disease. At the cellular level, I study the rhythmic electrical activity produced by neurones, cardiac myocytes, and endocrine pituitary cells. At the network level, I study the oscillators that produce motor activity in the tadpole, and the dynamic coordination between these oscillators that results in swimming behaviours.