Biography
Colin studied Computer Engineering (BEng Hons) at the University of Limerick and after graduation, worked for four years as a software and hardware development engineer for the integrated-circuit company Analog Devices. He then gained an MSc in Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, before commencing his doctoral studies in the MRC Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit at the University of Oxford. His doctoral research showed how the brain's reward system can influence memory related to novel experiences. He found that activating midbrain dopaminergic neurons enhanced subsequent hippocampal reactivation and spatial memory persistence. Colin was awarded a prestigious Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship by Wellcome in 2018. He completed the fellowship in the Brain Network Dynamics Unit at the University of Oxford where he focused on investigating the role of rhythmic activity in the brain and developing technology to interact with it. Using a patented approach he developed, he was able to amplify or suppress ongoing brain oscillations in real-time and he showed that the manipulation was functionally relevant as it altered behaviour. In Cork, he continues to engineer approaches to understand how brain activity supports learning and memory to drive our actions. As part of APC Microbiome Ireland, he is additionally investigating mechanisms of vagus nerve mediated gut microbiota influence on such brain activity.
Research Interests
Colin’s research interests are multidisciplinary spanning Neuroscience and Engineering. He focuses on understanding normal brain function through analysis of brain activity coupled with behavioural quantification and he develops closed-loop brain machine interfaces to interact with ongoing brain activity in real-time. By exploiting the fundamental understanding gained using these methods and electronic systems, he also seeks to develop treatment approaches to correct pathophysiological activity associated with specific brain disorders and psychiatric conditions.Research Grants
| Project | Funding Body | Start Date | End Date | Award | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neuronal Activity Driving Parkinson’s Disease - The Gut Connection | Other: Not Listed | 31-JAN-24 | 31-JAN-27 | €340,000.00 | |
| Closing the loop on neuronal oscillations - Motor networks take centre stage | Wellcome Trust | 01-OCT-18 | 12-NOV-22 | €300,000.00 |
Publications
Peer Reviewed Journals
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2022) | 'Stable, interactive modulation of neuronal oscillations produced through brain-machine equilibrium' McNamara CG;Rothwell M;Sharott A; (2022) 'Stable, interactive modulation of neuronal oscillations produced through brain-machine equilibrium'. Cell Reports, 41 (6) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2020) | 'Parkinson's disease uncovers an underlying sensitivity of subthalamic nucleus neurons to beta-frequency cortical input in vivo' Baaske MK;Kormann E;Holt AB;Gulberti A;McNamara CG;Pötter-Nerger M;Westphal M;Engel AK;Hamel W;Brown P;Moll CKE;Sharott A; (2020) 'Parkinson's disease uncovers an underlying sensitivity of subthalamic nucleus neurons to beta-frequency cortical input in vivo'. Neurobiology of Disease, 146 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2019) | 'Phase-Dependent Suppression of Beta Oscillations in Parkinson's Disease Patients' Holt AB;Kormann E;Gulberti A;Pötter-Nerger M;McNamara CG;Cagnan H;Baaske MK;Little S;Köppen JA;Buhmann C;Westphal M;Gerloff C;Engel AK;Brown P;Hamel W;Moll CKE;Sharott A; (2019) 'Phase-Dependent Suppression of Beta Oscillations in Parkinson's Disease Patients'. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 39 (6) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2016) | 'Recoding a cocaine-place memory engram to a neutral engram in the hippocampus' Trouche S;Perestenko PV;van de Ven GM;Bratley CT;McNamara CG;Campo-Urriza N;Black SL;Reijmers LG;Dupret D; (2016) 'Recoding a cocaine-place memory engram to a neutral engram in the hippocampus'. Nature Neuroscience, 19 (4) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2016) | 'Hippocampal Offline Reactivation Consolidates Recently Formed Cell Assembly Patterns during Sharp Wave-Ripples' van de Ven GM;Trouche S;McNamara CG;Allen K;Dupret D; (2016) 'Hippocampal Offline Reactivation Consolidates Recently Formed Cell Assembly Patterns during Sharp Wave-Ripples'. Neuron, 92 (5) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2014) | 'Dopaminergic neurons promote hippocampal reactivation and spatial memory persistence' McNamara CG;Tejero-Cantero Á;Trouche S;Campo-Urriza N;Dupret D; (2014) 'Dopaminergic neurons promote hippocampal reactivation and spatial memory persistence'. Nature Neuroscience, 17 (12) [DOI] [Details] |
Review Articles
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2019) | Novelty and Dopaminergic Modulation of Memory Persistence: A Tale of Two Systems. Duszkiewicz AJ;McNamara CG;Takeuchi T;Genzel L; (2019) Novelty and Dopaminergic Modulation of Memory Persistence: A Tale of Two Systems. Review Articles [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2017) | Two sources of dopamine for the hippocampus. McNamara CG;Dupret D; (2017) Two sources of dopamine for the hippocampus. Review Articles [DOI] [Details] |
Computer Program
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2022) | OscillTrack - Real-time oscillatory phase tracking for adaptive brain stimulation. C.G. McNamara (2022) OscillTrack - Real-time oscillatory phase tracking for adaptive brain stimulation. Computer Program [Details] |
Data set
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2022) | Electrocorticogram with closed-loop stimulation of basal ganglia nuclei aligned to beta oscillation phase. C.G. McNamara, M. Rothwell, A. Sharott (2022) Electrocorticogram with closed-loop stimulation of basal ganglia nuclei aligned to beta oscillation phase. Data set [DOI] [Details] |
Professional Activities
Patents
| Patent Number | Title | Granted | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO/2020/183152 | Apparatus and method for phase tracking an oscillatory signal | 17-SEP-20 |