Michael C. Wehr

Michael C. Wehr. He is an American neuroscientist renowned for his research on the neural mechanisms underlying hearing and sensory processing in the cerebral cortex. A professor at the University of Oregon, his laboratory employs advanced techniques like in vivo electrophysiology and optogenetics to investigate how neural circuits in the auditory cortex encode and interpret complex sounds. His work has significantly advanced the understanding of cortical computation and the plasticity of sensory systems.

Early life and education

Michael C. Wehr completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley, where he developed an interest in biological systems. He then pursued his doctoral training in the interdisciplinary Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). At UCSF, he conducted his thesis research under the mentorship of prominent neuroscientist Allison Doupe, investigating the neural basis of sensorimotor learning in the songbird brain. Following his Ph.D., Wehr undertook postdoctoral research with Anthony Zador at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he began his seminal work on the temporal processing of sounds in the rodent auditory cortex.

Academic career and research

Wehr established his independent laboratory in the Department of Psychology and the Institute of Neuroscience at the University of Oregon. His research program focuses on deciphering the neural code for hearing, specifically examining how populations of neurons in the auditory cortex represent the temporal and spectral features of sounds. A major contribution of his lab has been elucidating the role of inhibitory interneurons in shaping cortical responses to rapid sound sequences, work that bridges cellular neuroscience and systems neuroscience. His group utilizes cutting-edge methods, including two-photon calcium imaging and patterned optogenetic stimulation, to dissect microcircuit function. This research has implications for understanding auditory processing disorders and the cortical basis of perception. Wehr's findings are frequently published in leading journals such as Neuron, Nature Neuroscience, and the Journal of Neuroscience.

Awards and honors

Throughout his career, Michael C. Wehr has received several prestigious fellowships and awards in recognition of his innovative research. These include the Sloan Research Fellowship from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the McKnight Scholar Award from the McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience, and the Klingenstein-Simons Fellowship Award in Neuroscience. He has also been the recipient of research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), particularly the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). These honors support his ongoing investigations into the fundamental principles of cortical circuit operation and sensory integration.

Selected publications

* Wehr M, Zador AM. (2003). Balanced inhibition underlies tuning and sharpens spike timing in auditory cortex. Nature. * Wehr M, Laurent G. (1996). Odour encoding by temporal sequences of firing in oscillating neural assemblies. Nature. * Wehr M. (2006). Synaptic mechanisms of forward suppression in rat auditory cortex. Neuron. * Kato HK, Asinof SK, Isaacson JS. (2017). Network-level control of frequency tuning in auditory cortex. Neuron. (Work from his laboratory) * Li LY, Ji XY, Liang F, Li YT, Xiao Z, Tao HW, Zhang LI. (2014). A feedforward inhibitory circuit mediates lateral refinement of sensory representation in upper layer 4 of the auditory cortex. Journal of Neuroscience. (Work associated with his research themes)

Category:American neuroscientists Category:University of Oregon faculty Category:Hearing researchers