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

1263987/1263785Li/Masmanidis 智力优势：该提案将通过纳米制造技术和设备组装方案的创新使用来推进工程学，以及通过新启用的研究线来推进神经科学，其中可以对非常小的细胞群（~1至10）进行光遗传学操纵和电记录。在此提出的概念验证研究中，探针将被纳入联合 PI 的行为实验中，该实验涉及伏隔核强化学习的神经机制，伏隔核是奖励处理通路中的重要大脑区域。在联想奖励学习任务期间，光遗传学标记的神经元将被激活或沉默，并用光电极记录，从而允许它们的活动在特定的学习时期受到干扰。这些实验将有助于演示探针的操作，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如何将光遗传学和电生理学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如何将光遗传学和电生理学纳入神经科学实验产生广泛的影响。如果此处提出的开发策略成功，PI 将寻求额外的融资机会，在商业设备代工厂大规模生产这些工具。该合作项目将为研究生和博士后学者的培训提供高度跨学科的环境。此外，两位 PI 将利用现有的大学项目，让高中生和本科生参与研究工作。研究人员还计划加强课程设置，作为这项工作的直接结果，并计划了 k-12 推广计划，其中有许多额外的教育组成部分，包括不同机构之间的合作、神经科学界的设备传播计划、K-12 教育和推广以及高中生参与夏季实验室项目、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.