Department of Otolaryngology
4000 Eye and Ear Institute
915 Olentangy River Road
Columbus, OH 43212
Merfeld.6@osu.edu
Research Statement
I am a neuroscientist/neuroengineer with basic science interests in how the brain works. I am also heavily engaged in translational research. The majority of my research is collaborative. Most of my research focuses on the vestibular system – partly because vestibular dysfunction is a large human health problem, partly because equilibrium is a crucial sense that is often overlooked (until something goes wrong), and partly because the vestibular system has characteristics that match my dynamic systems technical expertise. Other general areas of technical expertise include computational neuroscience, random variable analyses, human psychophysics, motion platform technologies, and neural stimulation.
Education
PhD: Biomedical Engineering, MIT, 1990
MSE: Mech. and Aero. Engineering, Princeton University, 1985
BSME: Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1982
Bio: Daniel (Dan) Merfeld, PhD, Professor, joined the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck in August 2017. Dr. Merfeld received his M.S.E in Mechanical & Aerodynamic Engineering from Princeton University and his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from MIT. Dr. Merfeld is heavily engaged in translational and collaborative research that primarily focuses on the vestibular system. In addition to his professorship appointment at the College of Medicine, Dr. Merfeld will direct a team of researchers at the Naval Medical Research Unit at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio investigating spatial disorientation and other motion and acceleration –based phenomenon using a disorientation research device known as “The Kraken”. The device allows researchers to create the most realistic motion simulation using all six degrees of freedom and up to three G’s of force.
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