Neurophotometry system: a cost-efficient, versatile tool for behavioural circuits analyses

本申请申请资金，以便能够在纪念大学心理学系安装体内神经光度测量工作站系统。这个集成系统将包括一个光纤测光核心设备和一个额外的光遗传学附加设备。该系统是神经生理学和行为电路分析的前沿发展。它可以实时、高分辨率地在体内监测不同神经元间室（细胞体、树突和轴突）的电活动，并沿着离散的通路和电路进行监测。光遗传学组件允许对遗传上不同的细胞类型进行可控的刺激或抑制，而纤维光度学使得从钙指示剂的发射波长检测钙信号成为可能，作为神经细胞活动的量化测量。该系统比标准的电生理技术有很大的优势，因为它允许识别和操纵基因上不同的神经元亚型和相关的神经通路和回路。它还具有成本效益，便携和操作简单。所要求的系统将被用作我实验室（申请人：Francis R. Bambico博士）的核心研究模块，以支持我正在进行的NSERC博士资助的压力神经生物学研究项目，其主要目标是在啮齿动物模型中确定沿前额皮质的分子底物-血清素能中图回路介导压力可控制性和可预测性机制。该系统还将丰富nserc资助的该系神经科学学院的研究项目(其他六个成员用户：博士。Darlene Skinner博士，jacqueline Blundell博士，Christina Thorpe博士，Ashlyn Swift-Gallant博士，Susan Walling博士和Ian Webb博士)，以及其他部门的其他神经科学研究者的项目（Mark Berry博士，生物化学；Qi Yuan博士和Matthew Parsons博士，医学院）。除了加强我们的研究项目和HQP（研究生和本科生荣誉项目）的培训外，所要求的设备将用于日常教学和指导我们的本科生和研究生课程，包括神经科学技术，研究经验，定向研究和SURA/ usra相关活动

This applications requests for funds to be able to install an in vivo neurophotometry workstation system at the Psychology Department of Memorial University. This integrated system will consist of a fiber photometry core equipment and an additional optogenetics add-on. The system is a cutting-edge development in neurophysiology and behavioural circuits analyses. It allows for the real-time, high-resolution, in vivo monitoring of electrical activity on different neuronal compartments – cell body, dendrites and axons – and along discrete pathways and circuits. The optogenetics component allows for the controlled stimulation or inhibition of genetically distinct cell types, whereas fiber photometry makes it possible to detect calcium signals from emission wavelengths of calcium indicators as quantified measures of neural cell activity. This system has a great advantage over standard electrophysiological techniques because it allows for the identification and manipulation of genetically distinct neuronal subtypes and associated neural pathways and circuits. It is also cost-effective, portable and simple to operate. The requested system will be used as the centerpiece research module in my laboratory (applicant: Dr. Francis R. Bambico) to support my on-going NSERC DG-funded research program in stress neurobiology, for which the main goal is to identify the molecular substrates along the prefrontocortical - serotonergic raphe circuit that mediate stress controllability and predictability mechanisms, in a rodent model. The system will also enrich the NSERC-funded research programs of the Neuroscience faculty of the department (six other member users: Drs. Darlene Skinner, Dr. Jaqueline Blundell, Dr. Christina Thorpe, Dr. Ashlyn Swift-Gallant, Dr. Susan Walling and Dr. Ian Webb), as well as projects of other Neuroscience investigators in other departments (Dr. Mark Berry, biochemistry; Dr. Qi Yuan and Dr. Matthew Parsons, Faculty of Medicine). In addition to strengthening our research programs and for the training of HQP (graduate students and undergraduate honours projects), the requested equipment will be in routine use for teaching and instruction for our undergraduate and graduate curricular courses in neuroscience techniques, research experience, directed studies and SURA/USRA-associated activities.**