Marla B Feller earned her PhD in Physics from UC Berkeley, where she studied liquid crystal interfaces using nonlinear optical techniques. Her transition into neuroscience began during postdoctoral work at Bell Laboratories and continued at UC Berkeley, where she initiated studies of retinal circuit development. 

Dr Feller’s research focuses on how neural circuits in the retina assemble and mature, with particular emphasis on the role of spontaneous activity  - called retinal waves-in early development. Her laboratory investigates how retinal waves shape circuit connectivity and function by integrating quantitative imaging, electrophysiology, and molecular approaches. Recently, this work has centered on a motion-sensitive retinal circuit that drives the reflexive eye movements animals use to stabilize the visual scene during self-motion. 

Dr Feller is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences. Her honors include the Brian Boycott Prize for retinal neurobiology, UC Berkeley’s Distinguished Faculty Mentor Award, and the Distinguished Teaching Award.