Emilio Salinas, PhD

Assistant Professor

E-mail: esalinas@wakehealth.edu

Education

Brandeis University, 1996

Research

My research involves the analysis of single neurons and neural networks using mathematical methods and computer simulations. I apply these techniques to study how the biophysical properties of neurons determine their electrical responses, how neurons interact to produce functioning neural circuits, and how large neural networks represent, store, and process information. Specific topics of interest are the dynamical properties of spiking networks, the mechanisms by which neurons represent and tranform sensory information, and the way this information is integrated and used to generate observable behavior. The methods and approach involved in my research are very general and are strong complements for many collaborative projects.

Selected Publications

Salinas E (2009) Rank-order-selective neurons form a temporal basis set for the generation of motor sequences. J Neurosci 29:4369-4380.

Salinas E (2006) How behavioral constraints may determine optimal sensory representations. PLoS Biology 4: e387.

Salinas E (2004) Context-dependent selection of visuomotor maps. BMC Neuroscience 5: 47.

Salinas E (2004) Fast remapping of sensory stimuli onto motor actions on the basis of contextual modulation. J Neurosci 24:1113-1118.

Salinas E (2003) Background synaptic activity as a switch between dynamical states in a network. Neural Comput 15:1439-1475.

Salinas E and Thier P (2000) Gain modulation: a major computational principle of the central nervous system. Neuron 27:15-21.

Salinas E and Sejnowski TJ (2000) Impact of correlated synaptic input on output firing rate and variability in simple neuronal models. J Neurosci 20:6193-6209.

Romo R, Hernández A, Zainos A and Salinas E (1998) Somatosensory discrimination based on cortical microstimulation. Nature 392:387-390.

Salinas E and Abbott LF (1997) Invariant visual responses from attentional gain fields. J Neurophysiol 77:3267-3272.

Salinas E and Abbott LF (1996) A model of multiplicative neural responses in parietal cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93: 11956-11961.