Brain-computer interface (BCI) devices, histological methods, light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM), African spiny mouse, electrophysiological analysis of neural signals, neural interface technology development
Eric Atkinson, Ph.D. is a Scientific Program Analyst within the Division of Translational Research at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) working with programs funded by the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative. Dr. Atkinson received his Ph.D. in Medical Science with a concentration in Neuroscience from the University of Florida where he served as the preclinical team lead in a multidisciplinary collaboration developing a regenerative, tissue-engineered electronic nerve interface. His work focused on histological analysis, light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM), surgical implantation, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and electrophysiological data analysis to assess the functionality of in vivo neural interfaces. Dr. Atkinson also examined the unique regenerative ability of African Spiny Mice (Acomys), a novel animal model, in the context of tissue damage and immune response caused by neural device implantation. He holds an M.S. in Medical Science from the University of Florida where his research focused on visual cortical plasticity in a mouse model of perinatal brain injury using electrophysiological and behavioral analyses. Dr. Atkinson received his B.S. degree in Agricultural and Biological Engineering with a minor in Biomechanics from the University of Florida.