Kamran Diba
Assistant Professor
Office: Garland Hall 202A
Phone: (414) 229-5533
e-mail: diba@uwm.edu
Web Site: http://neuralcircuits.uwm.edu
Degree:
Ph.D., Brown University 2002
Key Areas of Interests:
Memory consolidation
Neuronal computation
Dynamics of neural circuits
Information processing in the brain
Teaching and Research Interests:
We are interested in how the neural activity in the hippocampal formation encodes and stores information, and consolidates memories that involve the neocortex.
This system generates an assortment of neuronal oscillations and activity patterns that vary depending on the behavior and state of the animal, from active exploration to resting and sleep. Accordingly, in our recordings of large populations of spiking neurons we observe state-dependent temporal relationships at multiple timescales. Research in my lab is focused on understanding how the underlying excitatory and inhibitory neurons generate these precise temporal patterns and the role that the consequent timing plays in the encoding and consolidation of memory.
To this end, we combine behavioral studies of learning and exploring rats, multi-channel recordings of the simultaneous electrical (spiking) activity from hundreds of neurons, and optogenetics (based on virus-mediated light-activated opsins) to selectively excite and silence specific neural populations, in order to investigate the relationships between neuronal activity and behavior.
We are currently looking for students with an interest in neurophysiology. Quantitative skills, programming skills and appreciation of electronics are helpful; a desire to learn is essential.
Courses Taught:
Psych 954: Seminar in Physiological Psychology: Reactivation, Recall,and Memory Consolidation
Psych 933: Seminar in Neuroscience
Recent Publications:
Vandecasteele M, S M, S Royer, M Belluscio, A Berényi, K Diba, S Fujisawa, A Grosmark, D Mao, K Mizuseki, J Patel, E Stark, D Sullivan, B Watson, G Buzsáki. Large-scale Recording of Neurons by Movable Silicon Probes in Behaving Rodents. J Vis Exp. 2012 Mar 4;(61): e3568.
Mizuseki K, S Royer, K Diba, G Buzsáki (2012) Activity dynamics and behavioral correlates of CA3 and CA1 hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Hippocampus. Feb 27. doi: 10.1002/hipo.22002. [Epub ahead of print]
Sullivan D, J Csicsvari, K Mizuseki, S Montgomery, K Diba, G Buzsáki (2011) Relationships between Hippocampal Sharp Waves, Ripples, and Fast Gamma Oscillation: Influence of Dentate and Entorhinal Cortical Activity. Journal of Neuroscience, 31(23):8605-8616.
Buzsáki, G, and K Diba (2010) Oscillation-supported information processing and transfer in the hippocampus-entorhinal-neocortical interface. In: Dynamic Coordination in the Brain: From Neurons to Mind, ed. C. von der Malsburg, W. A. Phillips, and W. Singer. Strüngmann Forum Reports, vol. 5. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Schmidt R†, K Diba†, C Leibold, D Schmitz, G Buzsáki, R Kempter (2009) Single-trial phase precession in the hippocampus. The Journal of Neuroscience. 29:13232-13241. †These authors contributed equally.
Diba K, G Buzsáki (2008) Hippocampal network dynamics constrain the time lag between pyramidal cells across modified environments. The Journal of Neuroscience. 28: 13448-13456.
Diba K, G Buzsáki (2007) Forward and reverse hippocampal place cell sequences during ripples. Nature Neuroscience. 10, 1241-1242.