Collaborative Research: Nanofabricated multisite opto-electrical probes for optogenetic stimulation and neuronal recording applications

1263987/1263785 Li/Masmanidi智力优点：该提案将通过创新使用纳米制造技术和设备组装方案推进工程学，并通过新启用的研究线推进神经科学，其中非常小的细胞群（约1至10）可以被光遗传学操纵和电记录。在这里提出的概念验证研究，探针将被纳入共同PI？的行为学实验研究了奖赏加工通路中的重要脑区--丘脑背核的强化学习神经机制。在关联奖励学习任务期间，光遗传标记的神经元将被激活或沉默，并用光电电极记录，从而允许它们的活动在特定的学习时期受到干扰。这些实验将有助于证明探针的操作，并提供有关食欲刺激的信息如何在该大脑区域中动态编码的新见解。 具有无与伦比的光子和电子能力的神经探针的发展将对光遗传学和电生理学如何纳入神经科学实验产生广泛的影响。更广泛的影响：具有无与伦比的光子和电子能力的神经探针的发展将对光遗传学和电生理学如何纳入神经科学实验产生广泛的影响。如果这里提出的发展战略是成功的，PI将寻求额外的资金机会，在商业设备代工厂大规模生产这些工具。这个合作项目将为研究生和博士后学者的培训提供一个高度跨学科的环境。此外，这两个PI将利用现有的大学项目，让高中和本科生参与研究工作。研究人员还计划加强课程，作为这项工作的直接结果，并计划开展k-12外展计划，其中包括许多额外的教育组成部分，包括不同机构之间的合作，在神经科学界传播设备的计划，K-12教育和推广以及高中学生参加暑期实验室项目，本科生培训和研究机会，研究生培训，课程开发和跨学科交流。

1263987/1263785Li/MasmanidisIntellectual Merit:This proposal will advance both engineering, through innovative use of nanofabrication techniques and device assembly schemes, and neuroscience, through newly enabled lines of research in which very small groups of cells (~1 to 10) can be optogenetically manipulated and electrically recorded. In the proof-of-concept study proposed here, the probes will be incorporated into the co-PI?s behavioral experiments on the neural mechanisms of reinforcement learning in the nucleus accumbens, an important brain area in the reward processing pathway. Optogenetically tagged neurons will be activated or silenced and recorded with the optoelectrodes during an associative reward learning task, allowing their activity to be perturbed at specific epochs of learning. These experiments will help both demonstrate the operation of the probes, and provide new insight into how information about appetitive stimuli is dynamically encoded in this brain area. The development of neural probes with unsurpassed photonic and electronic capabilities will have broad impact on how optogenetics and electrophysiology are incorporated into neuroscience experiments.Broader impacts: The development of neural probes with unsurpassed photonic and electronic capabilities will have broad impact on how optogenetics and electrophysiology are incorporated into neuroscience experiments. If the development strategy proposed here is successful, the PIs will seek additional funding opportunities to mass-produce these tools at commercial device foundries. This collaborative project will provide a highly interdisciplinary environment for training of graduate students and a postdoctoral scholar. Additionally, the two PIs will use existing university programs to involve high school and undergraduate students in the research effort.The investigators also plan curriculum enhancement as a direc result of this work, and have a planned program of k-12 outreach there are numerous additional educational components, including collaboration between different institutions,a plan for device dissemination in the neuroscience community, K-12 education and outreach and inclusion of high school students in summer lab projects,undergraduate training and research opportunities, graduate training, curriculum development, and interdisciplinary exchange.