David Graña Email & Phone Number

Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

* Developed an MRI-based framework for aligning images of slide-mounted brain tissue from Mongolian gerbil to corresponding images in a stack of MRI images from a euthanized gerbil’s headAssisted with acute electrophysiological recording procedures in the Mongolian gerbil inferior colliculus (IC), obtaining neural responses to different stimuli to determine neuronal frequency responses and sensitivity to binaural timing* Used MRI framework to determine the locations of electrophysiological recording sites relative to electrolytic lesions using Photoshop software, and aggregated the location data and corresponding physiological responses across all subjects to build up a spatial, 3D map of frequency responses and binaural timing sensitivity within the gerbil inferior colliculus* Developed a MATLAB GUI to overlay physiological recording sites, along with select physiological properties, onto atlases derived from cytochrome oxidase-reacted sections, allowing for visualization of the organization of the physiological responses and comparison of the location data to the CO regions of the atlas* Investigated the connections between the inferior colliculus and the medial geniculate (MG) of the gerbil by applying the MRI framework histological brain tissue containing injections of biotynlated dextran amines (BDA) in the medial geniculate, which retrograde labels cell bodies in the inferior colliculus* Created a stimulus delivery and response recording suite in MATLAB to perform numerous experiments on the gerbil cochlea under a variety of pharmacological and environmental conditions

* Explored alternatives for researching the effects of glaucoma on the neurophysiology of the optic tract* Assisted in developing programs for investigating responses to different visual stimuli * Streamlined software coding used for the delivery of stimuli in a set of behavioral experiments* Used Fourier analysis to determine whether recent experimental observations could also be found in previously-obtained data* Provided input on project direction and thesis prospectus presentation for two graduate students

* Wrote reports and research articles on results obtained from previous and then-current research* Assisted with grant writing for laboratory funding, including providing input for new research directions and amendments to current plans* Assisted with administrative duties, including interactions with different bodies in the university which collaborate with our research* Continued research projects from work done as research assistant* Supervised three graduate students, delegating duties based on research interests and

* Using a model for human speech processing, helped lead research investigating previously unexplored parameters in chronic neurophysiology and explored various methods of improving specific research methods* Assisted in the development of data acquisition systems, including the creation of graphical user interfaces, providing input toward equipment considerations, and improving outdated code* Performed data analysis linking acquired results to the overall research goals of the laboratory* Provided input to undergraduate projects, assisting in research components and report writing

Received quantitative training in computational techniques at Boston University through specialized courses that merged traditional engineering problems with the latest advancements in computer modeling. Included rotations in laboratories focusing on computational gene networks and neural coding of natural sounds.

Phd, Biomedical Engineering

Dissertation Title: “Neural Processing of Complex Natural Sounds in Awake Songbirds” Publications: * Freeman, D.K., Graña, G.D., &.

Bs, Biomedical Engineering