| |
William Shain
![]()
Associate_Director
William Shain is a Senior Research Scientist at the Wadsworth Center and an Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany. He directs research programs in brain computer interfaces (BCI) and nanobiotechnology. BCI research is focused on understanding device-tissue interactions and development of procedures, device designs, and pharmacological intervention strategies to control these interactions. These studies are augmented by development of methods for multi-channel and automated image analysis using 3-D datasets collected by confocal microscopy. Nanobiotechnology research is focused on using microfabrication methods to control cell attachment and growth in 2- and 3-dimensions in order to produce defined networks of neurons or to mimic complex cell organizations, e.g. the blood-brain-barrier. Dr. Shain is a founding member and project leader of a NSF Science and Technology Center – the NanoBioTechnology Center.
Dr. Shain received his PhD degree in Developmental Biology from Temple University, Philadelphia PA. From 1971-1973 he was a Public Health Post-doctoral Fellow with Dr. Marshall Nirenberg at the NIH, Bethesda MD where he began his neuroscience training. From 1973-1980 he was a group leader in Cellular Neurobiology at the Armed Forces Radiobiology Institute, Bethesda MD. He moved to the Wadsworth Center in 1980 and leads a research program that has included development of neurotoxicology analysis methods for environmental samples and polychlorinated biphenyls, study of receptors and receptor functions in astrocytes, and his present work. He is a member of The Society for Neuroscience, IEEE, BMES, and the Society for Biomaterials.
|