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——利用基于光的工具在细胞尺度上研究大脑功能。了解神经活动和回路如何驱动人类的计算、行为和心理，是由解决涉及神经回路中断或恶化的脑部疾病的关键社会需求驱动的——包括阿尔茨海默氏症、创伤性脑损伤、帕金森病、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广泛的学生对专注于理解大脑结构和功能的职业道路的兴趣，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层面上监测和影响神经元活动和神经回路。一种突出的神经光子技术是光遗传学，通过光精确地监测、激活或抑制来自神经元的通信信号。该项目将支持80名博士生的培训，其中包括20名受资助的博士生，涵盖神经科学、生物医学工程和光子学等学科。学员将精通神经功能生物学、光学仪器、光激发材料和成像技术的发展，以感知和影响神经回路。NRT的学员将参加神经光子学技术实践训练营，参加多个实验室研究轮转，完成四门课程的核心课程，在神经光子学实验室进行具有挑战性的博士研究，并撰写由NRT教师共同指导的神经光子学主题论文。培训项目将强调沉浸式体验式学习活动和同伴对同伴学习，这两种教育方法已被证明可以加强学习，同时改善STEM受训者，特别是代表性不足的少数民族的成果。与教育活动交织在一起的是一个职业准备项目，以支持实习生的职业目标，发展沟通技巧，建立专业网络。实习生的学习目标将集中在识别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，在团队导向的项目中工作，以及有效的沟通。美国国家科学基金会研究实习生（NRT）计划旨在鼓励开发和实施大胆的、具有潜在变革性的STEM研究生教育培训新模式。通过创新、循证、适应不断变化的劳动力和研究需求的综合培训模式，培训项目致力于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.