Kevin Zitelli Email & Phone Number

Mountain View, Ca, Us

Mountain View, California, United States

Mountain View, California, United States

Palo Alto, California, United States

Palo Alto, California

Greater Pittsburgh Area

After receiving my Masters degree in August 2016, I continued my research under Dr. Aryn Gittis in the staff position of research associate. Primarily, I expanded experimentation into alternative mouse models of Parkinson's Disease, as well as piloted new cohorts for behavioral and electrophysiological characterization of various optogenetic manipulations of basal ganglia circuitry.

Pittsburgh, Pa

I completed my Masters thesis research in the laboratory of Dr. Aryn Gittis, where I investigated the functional roles of distinct cell types in the globus pallidus. By designing and carrying out behavioral and slice electrophysiology experiments with the use of optogenetics, I have taken steps to outline putative contributions of these cell types to motor deficits in a Parkinsonian mouse model, and successfully elicited a therapeutic effect through differential optogenetic manipulation of these cell populations. I've acquired expertise in numerous skills while in this position. I've completed hundreds of stereotaxic surgeries, involving viral injections, intracranial drug administration, various implants, and sensitive post-operative care. I've executed a variety of behavioral paradigms, involving both automated and manual analysis. I've made use of various patch-clamp configurations in combination with optogenetics and pharmacological agents to probe neural circuits. Various other skills were also leveraged regularly, including immunohistochemistry, microscopy, and statistical analysis, as well as non-technical skills, such as writing and public speaking.

As an undergraduate research assistant in the laboratory of Dr. Amy Wagner, I completed independent investigations using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry to examine deficient striatal dopamine transmission in a rodent model of traumatic brain injury. This technique involved in-vivo anesthetized recordings on a stereotaxic frame, as well as administration of various drugs both intracranially and intraperitoneally. In this role, I also collaborated with full-time researchers on experiments, data analysis, and writing.

Master’S Degree, Neuroscience

Thesis title: Cell-type specific plasticity at intrapallidal synapses in a mouse model of Parkinson's Disease

Bachelor’S Degree, Majors: Neuroscience And Biological Sciences, Magna Cum Laude