Brian A. Wandell
Academic Appointments
- Professor, Psychology
- Professor (By courtesy), Electrical Engineering
- Professor (By courtesy), Radiology
- Professor (By courtesy), Ophthalmology
- Member, Bio-X
Professional Snapshot
Administrative Appointments
- Chair, Psychology (2006 - 2009)
Honors and Awards
- Member, National Academy of Sciences (2003)
Postdoctoral Advisees
Corentin Jacques , Kendrick Kay , Alison Kevan , Aviv Mazer , Jonathan Winawer
Graduate & Fellowship Program Affiliations
Web Site Links
Scientific Focus
Research Interests
Visual perception
Professor Wandell's work in visual neuroscience uses both neuroimaging and behavior testing to understand the action of the visual portions of the brain. His team has developed a set of methods for identifying and measuring distinct and specialized regions of human visual cortex, including regions that respond powerful to motion and color. Recently, his team measured the development of brain function and reorganization following injury.
Reading development
The Wandell lab is applying a powerful set of measurement methodologies to study human brain development. In one group of studies, they are measuring the signals and growth of visual cortex in children, aged 8-12, during the period children become skilled readers. Using very high spatial resolution and neuroimaging techniques, including some methods developed by this group, the lab is hoping to understand how visual signals contribute to the neural pathways of reading. These measurements of the developmental changes during the acquisition of skilled reading are intended to explain how visual signals are rapidly identified and classified in as we read.
Publications
- V1 projection zone signals in human macular degeneration depend on task, not stimulus. Cereb Cortex. 2008; (11): 2483-93
- Population receptive field estimates in human visual cortex. Neuroimage. 2008; (2): 647-60
- Temporal-callosal pathway diffusivity predicts phonological skills in children. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007; (20): 8556-61
- White matter pathways in reading. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2007; (2): 258-70
- Visual field maps in human cortex. Neuron. 2007; (2): 366-83
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