Dr. Kalatsky received a Ph.D. in physics from Texas A&M University in 1999, and M.S. in applied physics and mathematics from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology in 1994, and B.S. in applied physics and mathematics from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology in 1991. Previously, he was a postdoctoral fellow in the Keck Center for Integrative Neuroscience at the University of California, San Francisco and in the Materials Science Division at National Argonne Laboratory.

 
-• Research and Academics

Research Web Site http://val.ee.uh.edu/

Neuro-engineering, Optical Imaging of Intrinsic Signals, Neuro-biology, Neuroimaging, Brain Mapping, Representation of Sensory Modalities (Vision, Hearing, Somatosensation) in Mammalian Neocortex

My primary research goals are to develop new and improve existing techniques that allow rapid imaging of the brain structures with high resolution and with minimal invasiveness and to employ these techniques to further our understanding of the representation of the sensory world in the mammalian brain. The brain structure that is of a particular interest to me is cerebral cortex.

We use functional techniques, optical imaging of intrinsic signals and electrophysiology, to understand how the sensory world is mapped onto the quasi two-dimensional surface of the cerebral cortex, brain's most complex area with billions of neurons and trillions of synapses, the tissue responsible for mental activities such as consciousness, perceived sensations, skilled movements, memory, and language ability. Optical imaging of intrinsic signals allows us to monitor neuronal activity over large areas of cortical surface non-invasively. The imaging can be followed by targeted electrophysiology, to measure neuronal responses with high temporal resolution, or neuroanatomy, to establish patterns of axonal connections within and beyond the cortex.

-• Selected Publications

J.Cang, V.A.Kalatsky, S.Löwel, and M.P.Stryker, "Optical Imaging of the Intrinsic Signal as a Measure of Cortical Plasticity in the Mouse", Vis. Neurosci. 22, 685-691 (2005).

S.K.Jha, B.E.Jones, T.Coleman, N.Steinmetz, C.-T.Law, G.Griffin, J.Hawk, N.Dabbish, V.A.Kalatsky, and M.G.Frank, "Sleep-dependent plasticity requires cortical activity", J. Neurosci. 25, 9266-9274 (2005).

V.A.Kalatsky, D.B.Polley, M.M.Merzenich, C.E.Schreiner, and M.P.Stryker, "Fine functional organization of auditory cortex revealed by Fourier optical imaging", Proc Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102, 13325-13330 (2005).

V.A.Kalatsky and M.P.Stryker, "New paradigm for optical imaging: Temporally encoded maps of intrinsic signal", Neuron 38, 529-545 (2003).