HOME Alan Gelperin Member, Monell Chemical Senses Center (Ph.D.; Biology; University of Pennsylvania) agelperin@monell.org Phone : (215) 898 - 5885 Fax : (215) 898 - 2084 My laboratory studies odor information processing and memory storage in biological, computational and electronic olfactory systems. We study biological olfaction using mammalian and molluscan model systems whose central odor processing networks reliably learn complex predictive relationships between odor and taste stimuli. We use electrical and optical recording methods to understand the role of oscillatory dynamics and neurogenesis in odor recognition and memory storage. Computational methods are used to generate biophysically-based network models of the olfactory system to identify general design principles shared by mollusks and mammals. With collaborators in electronic olfaction we work on developing new sensor arrays, new sensor circuits and new algorithms to enable an autonomous robot fitted with an electronic nose to localize odor sources. The Limax olfactory learning circuit makes new neurons for several months after hatching. Neurons were exposed to BrdU at 3 months and examined at 5 months posthatching.