Dr. Marla Feller

Biography

Marla Feller is a Professor in the Department of Neurobiology at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on the development and functional organization of neural circuits in the retina, exploring the mechanisms that underlie spontaneous activity in the developing nervous system. Feller's work investigates how this activity contributes to the construction of neuronal circuits, with specific examples including the developing vertebrate nervous system such as the retina, spinal cord, hippocampus, and neocortex. She proposes that transitional circuits provide essential test patterns for the normal development of the adult nervous system. Her studies include the observation of spontaneous activity in the immature mouse retina, which is characterized by propagating bursts of action potentials termed retinal waves. This developmental period is crucial for the formation of retinal circuits that mediate light responses and sculpting projections to primary target areas in the brain, making the developing visual system a premier model for studying the role of spontaneous activity in the development of functional circuits.

Research Interests

Experience