| Richard C. Gerkin |
(412) 377-3408
|
| Position | Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University |
4/2008-Present |
| Education | Ph.D., Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh | 6/2002 - 4/2008 |
| B.S., Chemistry, Stanford University | 9/1997 - 6/2001 |
| Experience |
Research • (1/2006-Present) Investigated homeostatic regulation of synaptic strength and neuronal excitability in networks of cultured hippocampal neurons. Supervised by Prof. Guoqiang Bi. • (10/2006-9/2008) Characterized changes cortical activity after seizure, using combined electrophysiological and statistical approaches. Supervised by Profs. Alison Barth and Robert Kass. • (8/2005) Neuroinformatics Course, MBL, Woods Hole, MA. • (5/2003-10/2004) Investigated temporal integration and modularity of spike-timing dependent plasticity. Supervised by Prof. Guoqiang Bi. • (9/2002-10/2004) Refined method for non-invasive investigations of cultured neuronal networks using photoconductive silicon. Supervised by Prof. Guoqiang Bi. • (1/2003-5/2003, 1/2005-9/2005) Investigated functionally activated neuronal subsets using a fosGFP transgenic mouse. Dynamic membrane properties of neurons in barrel cortex and hippocampus were explored using whole-cell patch clamp in brain slices. Supervised by Prof. Alison Barth. • (6/2002-9/2002) Conducted computational modeling of Ca2+ dynamics as a signal for spike-timing dependent plasticity under the supervision of Profs. Carson Chow and Jonathan Rubin at the University of Pittsburgh. • (9/1999-9/2000) Conducted experiments focusing on carbon nanotube and semiconductor nanowire synthesis and characterization using atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy under the supervision of Prof. Hongjie Dai of Stanford University. • (6/1999-9/19999) Conducted electron diffraction experiments focusing on the iron-oxide core of the protein ferritin under the supervision of Prof. John Cowley of Arizona State University. Teaching • (1/2004-5/2004) Teaching Assistant. Led recitation sections each week; answered student questions about selected topics in Neuroscience; graded student assignments. Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh. • (1/2002-6/2002) Tutor. Tutored 4th-12th graders in basic math skills ranging from arithmetic, fractions, and decimals to algebra, geometry, and trigonometry, as well as high school chemistry. Huntington Learning Center, Scottsdale, AZ • (3/2002-5/2002) Tutor. Tutored college students one-on-one in calculus, probability, and finite math. Intercollegiate Athletics, Arizona State Univ. • (9/2001-12/2001) Teaching Assistant. Led two recitation sections each week for Physics 19: “How Things Work”. Delivered prepared lecture material, answered student questions, and solved problems in class. Also graded student assignments. Dept. of Physics, Stanford University. • (6/2000-6/2001) Tutor. Tutored college students one-on-one in calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, mechanics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, and optics. Undergraduate Advising Center, Stanford University. • (9/2000-12/2000) Teaching Assistant. Led organic qualitative analysis laboratory sections each week. Answered student questions about the principles and practice of organic chemistry. Also graded student assignments. Dept. of Chemistry, Stanford University. |
| Awards |
• 2006-2008 NIH National Research Service Award (F31 MH077430) University of Pittsburgh
• 2004-2005 NSF IGERT Award, (DGE-9987588) Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition • 2003-2004 NIH Predoctoral Training in Basic Neuroscience, (T32 NS007433-06) University of Pittsburgh • 2002-2003 NIH Predoctoral Training in Basic Neuroscience, (T32 NS007433-06) University of Pittsburgh • 2000 Bing Fellow, Dept. of Chemistry, Stanford University. • 1999 NSF REU Fellowship, Arizona State University. |
| Peer-Reviewed Publications |
• R.C. Gerkin, P.M. Lau, G.Q. Bi, "Synaptic Scaling and Metaplasticity Drive Cultured Networks to a Critical Threshold for Persistent Activity", In preparation, 2008.
• R.C. Gerkin, G.B. Ermentrout, G.Q. Bi, "Asynchronous release and synaptic depression on multiple timescales determine the persistence and stability of activity in small neuronal networks", In preparation, 2008. • R.C. Gerkin, J.C. Zhang, G.Q. Bi, "Spike-timing-dependent metaplasticity on multiple timescales", In preparation, 2008. • R.C. Gerkin, R.L. Clem, S. Shruti, R.E. Kass, A.L. Barth, "Cortical upstate activity is enhanced after seizure", In revision, 2007. • V. Volman, R.C. Gerkin, P.M. Lau, E. Ben-Jacob, G.Q. Bi, "Calcium and synaptic dynamics underlying reverberatory activity in neuronal networks", Physical Biology, 2007;(4) 91–1037. • R.C. Gerkin, P.M. Lau, D.W. Nauen, Y.T. Wang, G.Q. Bi, "Modular Competition Driven by NMDA Receptor Subtypes in Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity", Journal of Neurophysiology, 2007 Apr;97(4) 2851-2862. • H.X. Wang, R.C. Gerkin, D.W. Nauen, G.Q. Bi, "Coactivation and Timing-Dependent Integration of Synaptic Potentiation and Depression", Nature Neuroscience, 2005 Feb;8(2):187-93. • J.E. Rubin, R.C. Gerkin, G.Q. Bi, C.C. Chow, "Calcium Time Course as a Signal for Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity", Journal of Neurophysiology, 2005 May;93(5):2600-13. • A.L. Barth, R.C. Gerkin, K.L. Dean, "Alteration of Neuronal Firing Properties after in vivo Experience in a fosGFP Transgenic Mouse", Journal of Neuroscience, 2004 Jul 21;24(29):6466-75. • J.M. Cowley, D.E. Janney, R.C. Gerkin, P.R. Buseck, "The Structure of Ferritin Cores Determined by Electron Nanodiffraction", Journal of Structural Biology, 2000 Sep;131(3):210-6. |
| Book Chapters, Abstracts, and Conference Proceedings |
• G.Q. Bi, R.C. Gerkin, J.E. Rubin, "Computational Models of STDP", Hippocampal Microcircuits, In Preparation (2008)
• R.C. Gerkin and G.Q. Bi, "Synaptic Scaling and Modes of Persistent Activity", Coherent Behavior in Neural Networks, Palma De Mallorca, Spain (2007) • R.C. Gerkin, R. Clem, R. Kass, A.L. Barth, "A Quantitative Analysis of Changes in Cortical Neuron Activity Caused By Seizure", SFN Annual Meeting, Program #237.19 (2006) • R.C. Gerkin, P.M. Lau, D.W. Nauen, Y.T. Wang, G.Q. Bi, "Chronic Inactivity Leads to Enhanced Reverberatory Activity in Small Neuronal Networks through Homeostatic Plasticity", LTP: Forty Unforgettable Years, #P24 (2006) • R.C. Gerkin, P.M. Lau, D.W. Nauen, Y.T. Wang, G.Q. Bi, "NMDA Receptor Subtypes Mediate Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity via Intrasynaptic Competition", SFN Annual Meeting, Program #384.11 (2005) • R.C. Gerkin, G.Q. Bi, "Temporal Integration of STDP across Multiple Timescales: Dependence on Prior Induction Strength and Spacing", SFN Annual Meeting, Program #57.9 (2004) • X.Y. Tang*, R.C. Gerkin*, X.L. Wu, Y. Goda, G.Q. Bi, "Light-directed, Patterned Stimulation of Neuronal Networks on Silicon Chips", SFN Annual Meeting, Program #920.4 (2004) • H.X. Wang, R.C. Gerkin, D.W. Nauen, G.Q. Bi, "Coactivation and Timing-Dependent Integration of Synaptic Potentiation and Depression", SFN Annual Meeting, Program #57.7 (2004) • J. Rubin, R.C. Gerkin, G.Q. Bi, C.C. Chow, "Calcium Time Course as a Signal for Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity", Computational Neuroscience Meeting, 2004, presented by R.C. Gerkin • R.C. Gerkin, A.L. Barth, "Electrophysiological Characterization of Cortical Neurons after Sensory Stimulation in a fosGFP Transgenic Mouse", SFN Annual Meeting, Program #59.11 (2003) • R.C. Gerkin, "Use of Electron Diffraction to Determine the Structure of the Ferritin Iron-Oxide Core" Proceedings of the 1999 Arizona State University Physics REU Program: 20-36 (1999) |