Wesley Patrick Clawson | Training Tissue Through Closed Loop Virtual Embodiment
Foresight Biotech and Health Extension sponsored by 100 Plus Capital
Training Tissue Through Closed Loop Virtual Embodiment
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Abstract: Biological systems’ most fundamental ability is learning. However, how these systems self-organize towards learned behavior remains unknown. Using cutting edge CMOS electrode arrays, we engineered a closed-loop experimental paradigm that allows for the training of neural tissue culture through virtual embodiment. We used this system to train neural cultures’ bursting behavior, when neurons fire synchronously for a short time, to preferentially burst from specific regions of the culture. This engineered, synthetic experimentation offers unprecedented insights detached from in vivo complexity, and observation throughout training has the potential to unveil general principles of unconventional learning and plasticity. The talk will go over our idea on why synthetic experiments such as these are value tools, how we propose to investigate this in the future, and potential applications.
Bio: Wesley Clawson received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Physics from the University of Arkansas in 2014 and his M.S. in Electrical Engineering in 2016. During this time, Wesley worked in the labs of Dr. Woodrow Shew at the University of Arkansas and with Dr. Ralf Wessel at Wash U St. Louis. Wesley worked as a Cloud Architect at Windstream Communications from 2016-2018. After, he received his PhD in Neuroscience in 2021 at the Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes (INS) in Marseille, France under the direction of Dr. Christophe Bernard. Wesley has been at the Allen Institute since late 2021. (https://www.wesleyclawson.com/)
Biotech and Health Extension sponsored by 100 Plus Capital
A group of scientists, entrepreneurs, funders, and institutional allies who cooperate to advance biotechnology to reverse aging and extend human healthspan. This group is sponsored by 100 Plus Capital.
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