Council Dates: October 2011 - May 2012
Independent Position: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Dr. Michael M. Halassa conducted his postdoctoral study with Dr. Matt Wilson in Systems Neuroscience at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Using freely behaving mice, he aimed to elucidate how a certain type of cortical oscillation, spindles, are generated by thalamic mechanisms and the functional significance of their expression on sleep and sensory function. The characterization of spindle expression and function may help provide better insight into the pathogenesis of disorders like schizophrenia and absence seizures. He earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his M.D. in medicine and surgery from the University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.