Cian O’Donnell
Address: CNL-S, Salk Institute, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037
Email: cian@salk.edu
Webpage: www.snl.salk.edu/~cian
Employment
02/2012 –
Research Associate, Computational Neurobiology Laboratory (Prof.
Terrence Sejnowski). Salk Institute, La Jolla CA, USA
Modeling dendritic protein translation in learning and memory.
01/2011–12/2011 Post-doctoral research fellow, Dr. Matthew Nolan’s lab, University of
Edinburgh, UK.
Electrophysiology of dentate gyrus granule cells.
Education
09/2007–11/2011 PhD Neuroinformatics Doctoral Training Centre, Univ. of Edinburgh, UK.
Supervised by Dr. Mark van Rossum and Dr. Matthew Nolan.
Implications of stochastic ion channel gating and dendritic spine plasticity
for neural information processing and storage.
09/2006–08/2007 MSc Res with Distinction in Neuroinformatics, Univ. of Edinburgh, UK.
Supervised by Dr. Matthew Nolan.
Dendritic computation in entorhinal cortex stellate cells.
2001–2005
BSc in Applied Physics, 1st class honors. Dublin City University, Ireland.
Publications
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Stochastic ion channel gating and probabilistic computation in dendritic neurons.
Nolan MF and O’Donnell C. Dendritic computations through morphology and connectivity (in
press), Ed. M Remme, B Torben-Nielsen, and H Cuntz. Springer Series in Computational
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Neuroscience
Dendritic spine dynamics regulate the long-term stability of synaptic plasticity.
O’Donnell C, Nolan MF and van Rossum MCW.
J Neurosci 31(45) 16142-16156 (2011).
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Tuning of synaptic responses: an organizing principle for optimization of neural circuits.
O’Donnell C and Nolan MF.
Trends Neurosci 34 (2) 51-60 (2011).
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Stochastic ion channel gating in dendritic neurons: morphology dependence and probabilistic
synaptic activation of dendritic spikes.
Cannon RC*, O’Donnell C* and Nolan MF.
PLoS Comput Biol 12;6(8) pii:e1000886 (2010).
(*equal contribution)
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Tuning of synaptic integration by entorhinal cortical neurons to the organization of grid fields.
Garden DLF, Dodson PD, O’Donnell C, White MD, Nolan MF.
Neuron 60 (5) 875-889 (2008).
Poster Presentations
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The computational impact of local dendritic protein translation on synaptic plasticity and
memory. O’Donnell C and Sejnowski, TJ. Salk/Fondation Ipsen/Nature Symposium on
Biological Complexity: Molecular Biology of Psychiatric Disorders. La Jolla, CA 01/2013
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The computational impact of local dendritic protein translation on synaptic plasticity and
memory. O’Donnell C and Sejnowski, TJ. Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans, 10/2012
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Dendritic spine dynamics and the stability of synaptic plasticity. O’Donnell C, Nolan MF and
van Rossum MCW. Sloan-Swartz Centers Annual Meeting, La Jolla, CA 06/2012
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Dendritic spine dynamics regulate the long-term stability of synaptic plasticity. O’Donnell C,
Nolan MF and van Rossum MCW. INCF Neuroinformatics Congress, Boston, USA 09/2011
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Dendritic spine plasticity can stabilise synaptic weights. O’Donnell C, Nolan MF and van
Rossum MCW. Dendrites, Neurones and Networks Workshop, Warwick, UK 06/2010.
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Dendritic spine plasticity can stabilise synaptic weights. O’Donnell C, Nolan MF and van
Rossum MCW. COSYNE, Salt Lake City, USA 02/2010.
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Stochastic action potentials in axons: a possible role in neuropathic pain. O’Donnell C, Nolan
MF and van Rossum MCW. Society for Neuroscience, Chicago 10/2009.
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Dendritic spines as devices for synaptic metaplasticity. O’Donnell C, van Rossum MCW.
Scottish Neuroscience Group, St Andrews 07/2009.
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Dendritic spines as devices for synaptic metaplasticity. O’Donnell C, van Rossum MCW.
Dendrites GRC, Lucca, Italy 05/2009. Best poster award.
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Spontaneous spiking from ion channel noise in cable axons. O’Donnell C, van Rossum MCW.
Mathematical Neuroscience, Edinburgh 03/2009.
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The impact of stochastic ion channel activity depends on neuronal morphology. O’Donnell C,
van Rossum MCW, Cannon RC and Nolan MF. INCF Neuroinformatics, Stockholm 09/2008.
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PSICS: a new tool for simulation of stochastic ion channels in neurons with complex dendritic
and axonal morphologies. Nolan MF, O’Donnell C and Cannon RC. FENS, Geneva 07/2008.
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Stochastic ion channels in dendritic spines. O’Donnell C, Nolan MF and van Rossum MCW.
Mathematical Neuroscience, Edinburgh 03/2008
Awards and Grants
• Best poster award. Edinburgh Neuroscience Day 05/2010
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Best poster award. Dendrites Gordon Research Conference, Lucca, Italy 05/2009
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EPSRC PhD studentship, UK 09/2006-08/2010
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William V. Shannon Fellowship, Boston, USA 01/2004-06/2004
Invited Talks
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Dendritic spines and synaptic stability.
Computational Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, California, 2011
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Dendritic spines and synaptic stability.
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Equipe Audition, Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris, 2011
Stochastic action potentials in axons: a possible role in neuropathic pain.
Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, 2010.
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Dendritic spines and synaptic stability.
Margrie Lab, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London, 2010
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Dendritic spines and synaptic stability.
MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King’s College London, 2010
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Dendritic spines and synaptic stability.
Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, University College London, 2010
Schools attended
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FENS Lausanne & Geneva Training Centre: Imaging Neural Function, Switzerland 08/2010
Okinawa Computational Neuroscience Course, Japan 06/2009
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PENS-Hertie Winter School in Neural Circuits, Obergurgl, Austria 01/2009.
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INCF Autumn School in Neuroinformatics, Stockholm, Sweden 09/2008
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Other Experience
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Tutor for Neural Computation MSc course, University of Edinburgh. 2008 & 2009
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Research Assistant, University of Cambridge, UK. Aug–Sept 2005
Device Materials Group (Dr. Zoe Barber)
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Research Assistant, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. June–July 2005
Scanning Probe Microscopy group (Prof. Chris Van Haesendonck)
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Research Internship, Boston University, USA. Feb–July 2004
Novel Materials Laboratory (Prof. Kevin Smith). Funded by William V. Shannon Fellowship.
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