Alison Barth

Alison L. Barth is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University. Her research focuses on activity-dependent gene expression in the CNS, the cellular and synaptic mechanisms underlying learning and memory, and the impact of behavioral training on neural excitability and anatomy. She investigates how experience shapes neural circuits, particularly in the context of somatosensation in mouse models. Her work employs electrophysiological recordings, electron microscopy, and computational modeling to explore synaptic plasticity and network optimization. Barth's research also includes developing high-throughput fluorescence-based methods for synapse detection and connectomics, as well as exploring principles of neural design for engineered circuits. She is affiliated with the Mellon College of Science and maintains a lab website at https://www.cmu.edu/bio/people/faculty/barth.html.

Alison Barth is a researcher at Carnegie Mellon University focusing on neural plasticity, particularly in the neocortex and cortical networks. Her work explores how experience shapes neuronal firing properties, synaptic plasticity, and circuit dynamics. Key areas include the role of somatostatin-expressing neurons, the impact of in vivo experience on synaptic metaplasticity, and the molecular mechanisms underlying long-term potentiation (LTP). Her studies also examine the function of BK channels, NMDAR EPSC kinetics, and the development of neural circuits in the zebrafish olfactory system. Barth's research integrates electrophysiology, molecular biology, and advanced imaging techniques to uncover how neural activity and experience shape brain function.