Postdoctoral Research Associate
Dr John Butcher
I've been fascinated in the brain, learning and computation since a young age. I remember being taken in by illusions created by artists, such as Escher, the chessboard illusion and the McGurk effect. Around the same time, I managed to get my hands on my Dad's Commodore 64 and became hooked on programming and computers. Since then I’ve been rather fortunate (most days!) to conduct research in both of these fields where I currently investigate some of the many mechanisms of plasticity and navigational systems. This knowledge can be used to shed more light on the brain as well as solve real-world problems.
I graduated from Keele University with 1st class honours in Computer Science and Management Science in 2007. My PhD investigated the use of Artificial Neural Networks when applied to highly non-linear time-series datasets where it was shown that improved performance can be obtained using a novel reservoir with random static projections (R2SP).
After completing my PhD, I was eager to pursue my interest in understanding how the brain works so I undertook a post doctorate in Neuroscience investigating astrocytes and plasticity in the barrel cortex in 2012. I then moved into imaging of populations of neurons with novel voltage-sensitive dyes in-vitro using the stomatogastric ganglion (STG) of the brown crab (Cancer pagurus) as the model system. Most recently I have become involved in a project investigating the effects of caffeine on learning. As a fan of tea and coffee, this research is of particular interest to me!
Postgraduate Trainees
LAURA HARVEY (PhD Student)
Laura started in PlasticityLab back in September 2017 as an undergraduate student working on her final year research project in Neuroscience. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree, Laura continued to work in the lab as a research technician until January 2019 when she transitioned to the MPhil programme. Laura conducted her Master’s research in PlasticityLab and used whole-cell intracellular recording methods to characterise projection neuron excitability in the rhinal cortices. After completing her Master’s degree in the summer of 2020, Laura started a fully-funded PhD studentship in PlasticityLab exploring neuromodulatory contributions to sensory and mnemonic function in the parahippocampal cortices in both normal and diseased brains.
