Joao G. Franca, M.D., Ph.D.

Affiliations:

Institute of Biophysics

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Area:

Comparative Neuroanatomy, Neurophysiology, Neuroanatomy, Evolution of the Central Nervous System

Website:

http://lattes.cnpq.br/7809077980901520

Google:

"Joao Franca"

Bio:

Joao Franca has a medical degree (1990) from the Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (State University of Rio de Janeiro), a Master degree (1993) and a Doctor in Science degree (1999) from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ). He was also a postdoctoral fellow in Neuroscience at Vanderbilt University (2003) and at the University of California, Davis (2008). He is an associate professor at the Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF) of the UFRJ where he teaches Neurosciences for diverse undergraduate courses. He supervises graduate students of the Graduate Program in Physiology of the IBCCF, and of the Morphological Sciences Program of the Instituto de Ciências Médicas (ICB), both at the UFRJ. His research interests focus on systems neurosciences, aiming the physiology and microanatomy of the somatosensory system and sensory-motor integration in different mammalian species, including primates, rodents, and marsupials. One of his main interests concerns understanding how connections between different sensory and motor isocortical areas and the thalamus provide the underpinnings of conscious sensations and motor abilities, with especial emphasis on tool use in primates. By comparing the functional organization of the nervous system in different mammalian species, it is possible to infer changes that occurred during the evolutionary process. Understanding the constraints to the actual building of complex nervous systems that arose during evolution provides a window to the workings of complex nervous systems like ours.
(Show less)

Cross-listing: Neurotree