Charu Ramakrishnan

Charu Ramakrishnan | JRNLClub

Research Statement

AI generated · 6d ago

Charu Ramakrishnan's indexed work centers on optogenetic tool development and its application to circuit-level neuroscience. Highly cited contributions include diversifying and extending optogenetic tools through molecular and cellular approaches, and principles for applying optogenetic tools derived from comparative analysis of microbial opsins, which together helped establish practical guidance for choosing and deploying light-sensitive proteins. Related work uses these tools to probe neocortical excitation/inhibition balance in information processing and social dysfunction, linking circuit-level manipulations to behavior. Additional representative outputs include structural and molecular interrogation of intact biological systems, a tissue-clearing approach for imaging whole biological specimens, and three-dimensional intact-tissue sequencing of single-cell transcriptional states, which extends intact-tissue analysis to spatially resolved transcriptomics. Ramakrishnan also contributed to recombinase-driver rat lines with optogenetic application to dopamine-mediated reinforcement, supporting genetic access and circuit manipulation in rats. These works, spanning tool development, imaging, and sequencing, suggest a sustained line of inquiry into methods that make neural circuits and their molecular states experimentally accessible. Collaborators on related optogenetics work include Karl A. Deisseroth and Peter Hegemann.

Most Cited Works

Neocortical excitation/inhibition balance in information processing and social dysfunction

Ofer Yizhar, Lief E Fenno, Matthias Prigge, Franziska Schneider, Thomas J Davidson, Daniel J O'Shea, Vikaas S Sohal, Inbal Goshen, Joel Finkelstein, Jeanne T Paz, Katja Stehfest, Roman Fudim, Charu Ramakrishnan, John R Huguenard, Peter Hegemann, Karl Deisseroth

Nature2011

2,454Citations

Structural and molecular interrogation of intact biological systems

Kwanghun Chung

Research Areas

Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ReseaNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BMemory and Neural MechanismsPhotoreceptor and optogenetics researchNeural dynamics and brain function

Affiliations & Education

Education

1985–1987
University of Pune(IN)
M.Phil · Zoology
1983–1985
University of Pune(IN)
M.S. · Zoology

Employment

2025–present· now
Arc Research Institute(US)
Staff · Allen Lab

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Charu Ramakrishnan

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