BRAIN EAGER: Spatially-Resolved In Vivo Optogenetic Stimulation and Imaging Platform

主要研究者：Boppart，Stephen A.提案：1450829标题：大脑渴望：空间分辨的体内光遗传刺激和成像平台意义这个研究项目的成功结果将对神经科学以及光学科学和工程产生广泛的影响。PI将使用植入的成像光纤束，这将使体内成像以及空间控制的光学刺激和大面积神经回路的光学反馈成为可能。目前的光纤只能不加区别地照亮大面积。 光遗传学有望在神经科学以及未来的医学科学和临床医学中产生广泛的影响。这项拟议的研究提供了通过控制光刺激和增强神经回路控制的特异性来产生更大影响的潜力。该项目的成果将在科学和工程界广泛分享，并在外联活动中广泛传播。新的成像和可视化功能将激发K-12学生思考如何使用技术来看到人们通常看不到的东西，以及我们如何发明看到周围世界和发现新知识的新方法。推广活动将包括通过年度工程开放日活动向K-12和社区团体演示这些成像光纤束和新型光源，以及将这些技术方法整合到Boppart教授？技术说明光遗传学是一个快速发展的领域，其分子生物学技术的工具包不断扩大，使光激活的开关和控制细胞，最常见的是神经元。同样重要的进展发生在光学科学和工程。通过理解和利用光如何在光子晶体光纤（PCF）和成像光纤束中相互作用的基于物理学的原理，可以生成、控制和优化用于体内光遗传刺激的广泛的新光学参数。传统上，在体内光遗传学应用中，光已经沿着单个多模光纤向下发送以漫射地照射大脑，依赖于光遗传学修饰的神经元的分子生物学用于细胞和电路特异性。这个EAGER项目将独特地开发和演示成像光纤束的使用，以及特定光脉冲参数的生成，以实现空间分辨的光遗传学刺激和体内神经回路的成像。 这些新的神经技术将使行为和认知的新研究成为可能。

PI: Boppart, Stephen A.Proposal: 1450829Title: BRAIN EAGER: Spatially-Resolved In Vivo Optogenetic Stimulation and Imaging PlatformSignificanceThe successful outcome of this research project will have a broad impact in neuroscience in addition to optical science and engineering. The PI will use implanted imaging fiber bundles that will enablein vivo imaging as well as spatially-controlled optical stimulation and optical feedback of large-area neural circuits. Current fibers only indiscriminately illuminate large-areas. Optogenetics is expected to make a broad impact in neuroscience, as well as medical science and clinical medicine in the future. This proposed research offers the potential to have an even greater impact by controlling the light stimulus and enhancing specificity in the control of neural circuits. The results of this project will be shared widely amongst the scientific and engineering communities, and also across wide segments of society in outreach activities. The new imaging and visualization capabilities will inspire K-12 students to think about how technology can be used to see things one cannot normally see, and how we can invent new ways of seeing the world around us and discovering new knowledge. Outreach activities will include demos of these imaging fiber bundles and novel light sources to K-12 and community groups throughannual Engineering Open House events, as well as integration of these technological methods in Prof. Boppart?s undergraduate ECE/BioE 467 Biophotonics and ECE/BioE 380 Biomedical Imagingcourses.Technical DescriptionOptogenetics is a rapidly developing field with an ever-expanding toolkit of molecular biologytechniques to enable light-activated switching and control of cells, most commonly neurons.Equally significant advances have occurred in optical science and engineering. By understandingand exploiting physics-based principles of how light interacts in photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) and within imaging fiber bundles, it is possible to generate, control, and optimize a wide range of new optical parameters for in vivo optogenetic stimulation. Traditionally in in vivo optogenetic applications, light has been sent down single multi-mode optical fibers to diffusely illuminate the brain, relying on the molecular biology of optogenetically-modified neurons for cell and circuit specificity. This EAGER project will uniquely develop and demonstrate the use of imaging fiber bundles, and the generation of specific light pulse parameters to enable spatially-resolved optogenetic stimulation and imaging of neural circuits in vivo. These novel neurotechnologies will enable new investigations underlying behavior and cognition.