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Daniel O'Connor is a Professor in the Solomon H Snyder Department of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University. He serves as the Co-Director of the Neuroscience Training Program. His research focuses on neural circuits involved in touch perception and the brain dynamics that govern sensory experience. By leveraging mouse genetics, O'Connor's lab studies how genetically defined brain circuits contribute to perceptual functions, utilizing techniques such as quantitative behavior, optogenetics, chemical-genetic interventions, two-photon imaging, and electrophysiology. His work aims to decipher the relationship between neural circuit function and perception, particularly in the context of how dynamic gain control influences sensory information routing. Aimed at understanding the intricate cellular mechanisms that link action potentials to behavioral outcomes, his current research examines the role of layer 4 stellate cells in the early sensory cortex and their impact on sensation and behavior regulation, providing insights into the operational principles of the mammalian brain that could inform the understanding of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Johns Hopkins University • Baltimore, MD
Leads research on neural circuits and their role in sensory perception, focusing on touch and dynamic gain control.
Department of Pathology - PhD in Pathobiology. GRE is not required.