NRT-UtB: Neurophotonics

这项授予波士顿大学的国家科学基金会研究培训(NRT)奖将培训神经光子学新兴跨学科领域的科学家和工程师-使用基于光的工具在细胞级别研究大脑功能。了解神经活动和电路如何驱动人类的计算、行为和心理是出于一种关键的社会需求，即解决涉及神经电路中断或恶化的大脑疾病-包括阿尔茨海默氏症、创伤性脑损伤、帕金森氏症、脑瘫和多发性硬化症。最近在大脑研究方面的科学发现和强大的新工具激发了学生对专注于了解大脑结构和功能的职业道路以及新的工业和学术职业机会的广泛兴趣。神经光子学是脑科学中发展最快的研究前沿之一，因为它允许研究人员在最基本的水平上监控和影响神经元活动和神经电路。一种著名的神经光子学技术是光遗传学，通过它可以用光精确地监测、激活或抑制来自神经元的通信信号。该项目将支持对80(80)名博士生的培训，其中包括神经科学、生物医学工程和光子学等学科的20(20)名资助学员。学员将精通神经功能生物学以及光学仪器、光激发材料和检测和影响神经回路的成像技术的开发。NRT学员毕业前参加了神经光子学技术训练营，参加了多个实验室研究轮换，完成了四门课程的核心课程，在神经光子学实验室进行了具有挑战性的博士研究，并撰写了由NRT教职员工共同指导的神经光子学主题论文。培训项目将强调身临其境的体验式学习活动和点对点学习，这两种教育方法已被证明可以加强学习，同时改善STEM受训人员，特别是代表性不足的少数群体的结果。与教育活动交织在一起的是职业准备计划，以支持学员的职业目标，发展沟通技能，并建立专业网络。学员的学习目标将集中于确定神经光子学中的重要研究问题，应用基于光的方法来测量和控制神经回路，开展以团队为导向的项目，并进行有效的沟通。NSF研究培训(NRT)计划旨在鼓励STEM研究生教育培训的大胆、新的潜在变革模式的开发和实施。培训路径致力于通过创新的、基于证据的、与不断变化的劳动力和研究需求保持一致的综合培训模式，在高度优先的跨学科研究领域对STEM研究生进行有效培训。

This National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) award to Boston University will train scientists and engineers in the emerging interdisciplinary field of neurophotonics - the use of light-based tools to study brain function at the cellular scale. Understanding how neural activities and circuits drive human computation, behavior, and psychology is motivated by a critical societal need to address brain diseases that involve disruptions or deterioration of neural circuitry - including Alzheimer's, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis. Recent scientific discoveries and powerful new tools in brain research have inspired broad student interest in career paths focused on understanding brain structure and function, as well as new industrial and academic career opportunities. Neurophotonics is among the most rapidly evolving research frontiers in brain science because it allows researchers to monitor and influence neuron activity and neural circuits at their most fundamental level. A prominent neurophotonic technique is optogenetics, through which communication signals from neurons are precisely monitored, activated, or inhibited using light. This project will support training for eighty (80) PhD students, including twenty (20) funded trainees, across the disciplines of neuroscience, biomedical engineering and photonics.Trainees will become versed in the biology of neural function and the development of optical instruments, photo-excitable materials, and imaging techniques to sense and affect neural circuits. NRT trainees will graduate having attended a hands-on neurophotonics technology boot camp, participated in multiple laboratory research rotations, completed a four-course core curriculum, conducted challenging doctoral research in a neurophotonics laboratory, and written a neurophotonics-themed dissertation co-mentored by NRT faculty. The traineeship project will emphasize immersive experiential learning activities and peer-to-peer learning, two educational approaches that have been shown to reinforce learning while simultaneously improving outcomes for STEM trainees, especially underrepresented minorities. Interwoven with educational activities will be a professional preparation program that supports trainee career goals, develops communication skills, and builds professional networks. Trainee learning objectives will focus on identifying important research problems in neurophotonics, applying light-based methods to measure and control neural circuits, working on team-oriented projects, and communicating effectively.The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new potentially transformative models for STEM graduate education training. The Traineeship Track is dedicated to effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary research areas, through the comprehensive traineeship model that is innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs.