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ICA4.9 Ithai Rabinowitch on Engineering the Brain
Mike Livermore speaks with ICA4 Fellow Ithai Rabinowitch, Assistant Professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Faculty of Medicine. Rabinowitch specializes in neural circuits and neurobiology, and his current research is focused on exploring synaptic connections and the function of the nervous system.
Rabinowitch begins by explaining how his studies of industrial engineering nurtured his interest in neuroscience and brain function, eventually leading him to a career that combines aspects of both engineering and biology (:55 – 3:52). He then describes how his research engages in “forward-engineering,” describes how this is similar to, but distinct from, reverse-engineering, and explains how forward-engineering is used both in the field of synthetic biology generally (4:00 – 9:40). The discussion goes on to cover such topics as connectomes – the map of an organism’s brain wiring – and the ways Rabinowitch and his colleagues manipulate electrical synapses to enable brain neurons to communicate. Rabinowitch also describes the chain reaction between DNA and genome sequences that occurs during organism development (9:50 – 27:25). Delving more deeply into his work, Rabinowitch then provides an introduction to the C. elegans nematode worm, the first organism to have its entire genetic code sequenced and a key organism in the study of how brains are wired. He also offers a comprehensive explanation of the work he does with the worm, which includes analysis of worms’ neuronal activity during various sensory experiments, and how computer-based models are used to assist in altering synaptic responses in the worms (27:35 – 53:25). This leads to a discussion of the ethics of this kind of scientific experimentation, both in terms of C. elegans and more generally, with Rabinowitch signaling both the concerns and potential benefits of his work (53:30 – 1:01:19).
The Intercontinental Academia (ICA) is a global network of future research leaders sponsored by the University-Based Institutes of Advanced Studies. The ICA4 explores the complementarities between artificial intelligence and neuro/cognitive-science.
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Mike Livermore speaks with ICA4 Fellow Ithai Rabinowitch, Assistant Professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Faculty of Medicine. Rabinowitch specializes in neural circuits and neurobiology, and his current research is focused on exploring synaptic connections and the function of the nervous system.
Rabinowitch begins by explaining how his studies of industrial engineering nurtured his interest in neuroscience and brain function, eventually leading him to a career that combines aspects of both engineering and biology (:55 – 3:52). He then describes how his research engages in “forward-engineering,” describes how this is similar to, but distinct from, reverse-engineering, and explains how forward-engineering is used both in the field of synthetic biology generally (4:00 – 9:40). The discussion goes on to cover such topics as connectomes – the map of an organism’s brain wiring – and the ways Rabinowitch and his colleagues manipulate electrical synapses to enable brain neurons to communicate. Rabinowitch also describes the chain reaction between DNA and genome sequences that occurs during organism development (9:50 – 27:25). Delving more deeply into his work, Rabinowitch then provides an introduction to the C. elegans nematode worm, the first organism to have its entire genetic code sequenced and a key organism in the study of how brains are wired. He also offers a comprehensive explanation of the work he does with the worm, which includes analysis of worms’ neuronal activity during various sensory experiments, and how computer-based models are used to assist in altering synaptic responses in the worms (27:35 – 53:25). This leads to a discussion of the ethics of this kind of scientific experimentation, both in terms of C. elegans and more generally, with Rabinowitch signaling both the concerns and potential benefits of his work (53:30 – 1:01:19).
The Intercontinental Academia (ICA) is a global network of future research leaders sponsored by the University-Based Institutes of Advanced Studies. The ICA4 explores the complementarities between artificial intelligence and neuro/cognitive-science.