Shaina Short, Ph.D.

BIO

A Passion to Understand How We Process Our World

My career goal is to significantly contribute to the field’s understanding of circuit function computation that allows principal neurons to effectively integrate inherently noisy inputs and produce meaningful output. Input-output circuits make sense of the information in our environments and their proper function is vital for survival. My independent laboratory will investigate how the brain processes and stores complex sensory information to shape behavior. 

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I use both cortical and olfactory bulb systems to study how dopamine and GABA synergistically mediate mechanisms, such as gain control and tuning. I employ several state of the art techniques to investigate neural circuit activity: in vivo and in vitro imaging, electrophysiology, optogenetics, and neural circuit modeling. I am also collaborating with bioengineers to beta test and inform the next generation of optical sensors to push the limits of how we image and understand brain activity in awake and behaving animals. 

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If hiring, please contact me directly for additional information or to review my complete research plan ( or 763-245-6779).