Bryan MacLennan
Research Associate III
Bryan grew up in Massachusetts where he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Neuroscience at Northeastern University. He joined the Allen Institute for Brain Science in 2015 to work with Clay Reid and Soumya Chatterjee, investigating the circuit origins of visual response properties such as orientation tuning and direction selectivity. He performed 2-photon guided in vivo electroporation experiments in mouse visual cortex and imaged the visually evoked activity of monosynaptically-restricted networks traced with a modified rabies virus. In 2023, Bryan transitioned to the Optical Physiology group at the Allen Institute for Neural Dynamics where he is using fiber photometry and physiologically calibrated optogenetic stimulation to systematically benchmark in vivo performance of genetically encoded fluorescent sensors used to measure the activity of neuromodulators and neurotransmitters. Bryan is especially interested in single neuron computation and how neuromodulators influence synaptic plasticity, shape the dynamics of neural circuits, and regulate behavior. In his free time, he enjoys bouldering, hiking, playing violin, spending time with his partner, Alex, and their 90-pound greyhound, Moose.
