NRT-UtB: Neurophotonics

这个授予波士顿大学的国家科学基金会研究培训（NRT）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尺度上研究大脑功能。了解神经活动和电路如何驱动人类的计算，行为和心理是由一个关键的社会需要，以解决涉及神经回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。最近的科学发现和大脑研究中强大的新工具激发了广泛的学生对职业道路的兴趣，专注于了解大脑结构和功能，以及新的工业和学术职业机会。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测和影响神经元活动和神经回路。一个突出的神经光子技术是光遗传学，通过它，来自神经元的通信信号被精确地监测，激活或抑制使用光。该项目将为80名博士生提供培训，其中包括20名受资助的实习生，涉及神经科学、生物医学工程和光子学等学科。实习生将精通神经功能生物学以及光学仪器、光激发材料和成像技术的开发，以感知和影响神经回路。NRT学员将毕业后参加了动手神经光子学技术靴子营地，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，并撰写了神经光子学为主题的论文由NRT教师共同指导。培训项目将强调沉浸式体验式学习活动和同伴学习，这两种教育方法已被证明可以加强学习，同时改善STEM学员的成果，特别是代表性不足的少数民族。与教育活动交织在一起的将是一个专业的准备计划，支持学员的职业目标，发展沟通技巧，建立专业网络。培训生的学习目标将侧重于识别神经光子学的重要研究问题，应用基于光的方法来测量和控制神经电路，进行面向团队的项目，并有效地沟通。NSF研究培训生（NRT）计划旨在鼓励开发和实施大胆的，新的潜在变革性模型，用于STEM研究生教育培训。见习轨道致力于通过创新、基于证据并与不断变化的劳动力和研究需求保持一致的综合见习模式，在高优先级跨学科研究领域对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.