We are excited to welcome Dr. Daniel Gonzales as our newest VINSE faculty member! Dr. Gonzales is joining Vanderbilt’s Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Vanderbilt Brain Institute in January 2024. He attended university in his hometown of San Angelo, Texas and graduated from Angelo State University in 2013 with a BS in Physics. He then attended Rice University and earned a PhD in Applied Physics in 2019. His graduate work was with Professor Jacob T. Robinson in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, where he developed micro- and nano-scale tools for monitoring electrophysiology and behavior in millimeter-sized animals. Before coming to Vanderbilt, he has worked in Nano-Neurotechnology Lab in Purdue University.
Research Highlight: In the Gonzales Lab, we develop a wide range of neurotechnologies to capture and interrogate neural activity. We specialize in combining microfabricated, transparent brain-machine interfaces with optical neurotechnologies for recording activity across massive spatial scales, from individual synapses up to brain-wide networks. Our platforms enable the study of circuit computations with unprecedented precision. Specifically, we are fascinated by the mechanisms that give rise to the brain’s ability to intelligently manipulate neuroprosthetic interfaces. In the Gonzales Lab, we take a circuit-focused approach. We believe cortical networks and microcircuits hold secrets that can unlock powerful new capabilities for neuroprosthetics. By revealing how these circuits learn, the discoveries in our lab inform the design high-precision, modular, and efficient brain-machine interfaces.