PhD. MIT, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Minor in Brain and Cognitive Sciences SM, MIT, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) BS, Cornell University, Electrical Engineering

Our lab seeks to understand neuronal patterns in the central nervous system in both health and in disease. We apply a variety of computational techniques to model and modulate neuronal behaviors including mechanistic modeling, statistical modeling, dynamical systems and control techniques. We often work with multivariate time series data (e.g. EEG) and apply machine learning techniques to uncover patterns in neuronal data. Our applications span Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, brain-machine interfaces, chronic pain, decision making, and sleep. We collaborate closely with electrophysiologists and clinicians with the ultimate goal of designing better treatment for diseases of the central nervous system.

Burns SP, Santaniello S, Yaffe RB, Jouny C, Crone N, Bergey G, Anderson WS, Sarma SV. (2014) Network Dynamics of the Brain and Influence of the Epileptic Seizure Onset Zone. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. Dec 9;111(49):E5321–30 Santaniello S, McCarthy MM, Montgomery Jr. EB, Kopell N, Gale JT, and Sarma SV. (2014) The Therapeutic mechanism of high frequency DBS in Parkinson’s disease: neural restoration through loop-based reinforcement. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 Feb 10;112(6):E586–95. Agarwal R, Thakor N, Sarma SV*, Massaquoi S. (2015) PMv Neuronal Firing May Be Driven by a Movement Command Trajectory within Multidimensional Gaussian Fields. The Journal of Neuroscience, 24 June 2015, 35(25):9508–9525. Ehrens D, Sritharan D, Sarma SV. (2015) Closed-Loop Control of a Fragile Network: Application to Seizure-like Dynamics of an Epilepsy Model. Front. Neurosci., 03 March 2015.