Backyard Brains: Bringing Neurophysiology Into Secondary Schools

后院大脑：将神经生理学引入中学

• 批准号: 8641417
• 负责人: Gregory John Gage
• 金额: $ 59.95万
• 依托单位: BACKYARD BRAINS, INC.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-04-15 至 2016-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8641417
• 关键词: Action Potentials; Address; Affect; Amplifiers; Animal Model; Award; Behavior; Biology; Brain; Communication; Complex; Computer software; Conceptions; Data Analyses; Devices; Dictyoptera; Discipline; Disease; Drosophila genus; Educational process of instructing; Electronics; Electrophysiology (science); Engineering; Environment; Equipment; Funding; Future; General Population; Genetic; Goals; Gryllidae; High School Faculty; Insecta; Invertebrates; Learning; Life; Light; Marketing; Mathematics; Medicine; Nervous System Physiology; Nervous system structure; Neurons; Neurosciences; Neurosciences Research; Outcome; Performance; Phase; Physicians; Physics; Population; Problem Solving; Process; Records Controls; Research; Sales; Schools; Science; Scientist; Secondary Schools; Site; Students; Teacher Professional Development; Technology; Testing; Training; Transgenic Organisms; Wireless Technology; Work; World Health Organization; college; commercialization; cost effective; design; digital; experience; field study; fly; high school; improved; interest; neurophysiology; neurotechnology; next generation; optogenetics; public health relevance; relating to nervous system; research study; response; teacher; tool

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Understanding the brain remains a great challenge both to professional neuroscientists and the general public alike. The nervous system is extremely complex, which is why neural diseases are notoriously widespread and difficult to treat. There are two main ways to solve this problem. One approach is to fund established scientists to research their particular field of study. An alternative way is to invest in the capabilities of future engineers, scientists, and physicians by providing educational science equipment and compelling experiments that teach principles of neuroscience using simple model organisms. A critical barrier to progress with this latter approach has been access to affordable tools and lesson plans. To address this need, we have developed in our Phase I the 1) "SpikerBox": a bio-amplifier that is easy-to-use, inexpensive (<$100), portable, and can detect and record the spiking activity (action potentials) of invertebrates such as crickets and cockroaches; and the 2) "RoboRoach": a wireless neural stimulator for investigating insect behavior. We have designed easy experiments using these pieces of equipment and have begun deploying them in beta high school test sites. In Phase II, we now aim to: 1. Enhance the learning materials and software to the degree that allows any high school biology teacher with little experience to teach neurophysiology experiments in the classroom 2. Commercialize and deploy the next generation RoboRoach and SpikerBox to allow for a greater versatility in experiments for high school classrooms 3. Commercialize and deploy our "OptoGenetics Rig," which is a fully portably miniature electrophysiology apparatus enabling optogenetic experiments in fruit flies in high school classrooms As neuroscience is a multi-disciplinary field encompassing biology, medicine, mathematics, and engineering, our "SpikerBox", "RoboRoach", and "Optogenetic" kits with their associated learning materials may have the effect of improving performance in STEM-related disciplines and inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers. !

描述（由申请人提供）：了解大脑仍然是一个巨大的挑战，无论是专业神经科学家和普通大众一样。神经系统是极其复杂的，这就是为什么神经疾病是众所周知的普遍和难以治疗的。有两个主要的方法来解决这个问题。一种方法是资助知名科学家研究他们的特定研究领域。另一种方法是通过提供教育科学设备和令人信服的实验来投资未来的工程师，科学家和医生的能力，这些实验使用简单的模型生物来教授神经科学原理。后一种方法取得进展的一个关键障碍是获得负担得起的工具和课程计划。为了满足这一需求，我们在第一阶段开发了1）“SpikerBox”：一种易于使用、价格低廉（<100美元）、便携式的生物放大器，可以检测和记录蟋蟀和蟑螂等无脊椎动物的尖峰活动（动作电位）; 2）“RoboRoach”：一种用于研究昆虫行为的无线神经刺激器。我们已经设计了使用这些设备的简单实验，并已开始在beta高中测试站点部署它们。在第二阶段，我们现在的目标是：1。加强学习材料和软件的程度，使任何高中生物教师几乎没有经验，教神经生理学实验在课堂上2。商业化和部署下一代RoboRoach和SpikerBox，以便在高中教室的实验中实现更大的多功能性3.将我们的“OptoGenetics Rig”商业化并部署，这是一种完全便携式的微型电生理仪器，可在高中教室中进行果蝇光遗传学实验。由于神经科学是一个涵盖生物学、医学、数学和工程学的多学科领域，我们的“SpikerBox”、“RoboRoach”、和“光遗传学”套件及其相关的学习材料可能有提高性能的STEM的效果-相关学科和激励下一代科学家和工程师。!