Kim T Blackwell

I am a world leader in computational modeling of calcium dynamics and signaling pathways underlying plasticity. My ability to use computational models to address novel questions regarding mechanisms underlying neuron activity stems from my expertise in enhancing existing, open-source software to provide new capabilities. I have also created stand-alone software (freely available) for stochastic modeling of signaling pathways, and have used this software to create data-driven, spatial models of striatal and hippocampal signaling pathways. All of our models are made available to others on modelDB, and our software is made available on github. I have expertise in striatal electrophysiology, and have characterized LTP using both field recordings and patch electrodes, wildtype and transgenic mice. For my entire career, my overall approach has been to interlace experiments and model development on the network level, cellular level, and subcellular level in order to explain multi-scale mechanisms underlying neuronal activity associated with memory storage.