EDUCATION

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Aug 1997 - June 2006)

M.D. (Neurology rotations at UIUC, UCSF and Harvard)

Ph.D. Neuroscience: Peripheral Processing in the Mollusc and the Role of Feedback

Advisor: Dr. Rhanor Gillette

University of California at Berkeley (December 1995)

B.S. Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

B.A. Molecular & Cell Biology (Neurobiology emphasis)

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Neurophysiology (2001-2005) Gillette Lab UIUC, The role of feedback processes in information processing of behaviorally characterized stimuli: analysis of multiple cells within a nerve of Molusc Pleurobranchea Californica during presentation of appetitive and aversive stimuli. Research techniques involve: suction electrode recording, backfills, dissections, surgery, electrophysiology, multiple channel recording, data analysis, filtering, spike analysis.

Computational Modeling (1997-2000) Logan Lab UIUC, Attention processing, reaction time analysis, eye tracking, simulations using competition for inputs combined with feedback processes to perform discrimination. Classifying Networks incorporating feedback onto pre-synaptic inputs, evaluated for complex interactions between stimuli, cognitive response time, modeling of the visual system and attention. Simulations using: Matlab, C++. Mathematical analysis, channel modeling.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Software Consultant For Catheterized Heart Blood-Flow Monitor (1996-1997) Cardiometrics, Mountain View, CA. Designed and programmed software to determine flow rates in real time from Doppler data, and to test and validate catheter sensors. Integrated separate machines combine Doppler and pressure measurements simultaneously. Programmed in C++

Verification of Digital Hardware Simulator (1991-1996) InterHDL, Palo Alto, CA. Verify Verilog language digital hardware simulator, wrote hardware simulation libraries to incorporate and ensure correct simulations, Debugged code and Provided technical support. Programming in Verilog and C++

GRADUATE TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Neurophysiology Laboratory (Physl 416) Aug - Dec 2002: Graduate-level invertebrate Neurophysiology. Design and implement hands-on experiments for students and demonstrate electrophysiology techniques both intracellular and extracellular.

Computational Neuroscience (Neuro 317) Jan - May 2002 Simulations in neurophysiology and neural networks. Neuron: membrane RC components and channel activation, circuit dynamics. Networks: PDP, Bayesian, learning, genetic algorithms.

Physiology Laboratory (Physl 105) Aug - Dec 2001 Introduction to Human and Animal Physiology

Algorithms in Computer Science (CS 273) Jan - May 1999 Intermediate Level Computational Theory and Algorithms. Analysis of algorithms, finite automata, recursively enumerable sets, computational complexity and NP-completeness.

PUBLICATIONS/ CONFERENCES

Achler, T., Input Shunt Networks, Neurocomputing, 44-46c: 249-255 Jul 2002.

Achler T. & Gillette R. Feedback on peripheral processing in the Marine mollusk Pleurobranchea Californica, Medical Scholars Program, Lake of the Woods, Illinois, 2004

Achler T, Input Shunt Networks and Biased Competition, Proceedings of 10th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting (CNS), San Francisco and Pacific Grove, California, 2001.

Achler T., Input Shunt Networks, Biased Competition and the Search Task Proceedings of 5th International Conference of Cognitive and Neural Systems (ICCNS), Boston, 2001

WORKSHOPS

Neuromorphic Engineering Workshop, Telluride Colorado, 2002.

AWARDS

Fellowship for Neuromorphic Engineering Workshop, 2002.

Fellowship for 5th International Conference Cognitive and Neural Systems, 2001.

Fellowship for 10th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting, 2001.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Class representative to Medical Scholars Program Advisory Committee (MSPAC), 1999

PERSONAL

Bilingual (Hebrew)

Enjoy: Traveling, Rollerblading