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SUMMARY:Prof. Ed Boyden: Tools for Analyzing and Controlling  Complex Biol
 ogical Systems
DTSTART:20201109T160000
DTEND:20201109T170000
DTSTAMP:20260502T104732Z
UID:89ee14a519277f7bdfaa685594339aa40cca1fd51f6b13701f3c4490
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Prof. Ed Boyden Y. Eva Tan Professor in Neurotechnology at MIT
 \, an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the MIT McGo
 vern Institute\, and professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences\, Media Art
 s and Sciences\, and Biological Engineering at MIT More information here: 
 http://syntheticneurobiology.org/people/display/71/11  \nTo enable the u
 nderstanding and repair of complex biological systems\, such as the brain\
 , we are creating novel optical tools that enable molecular-resolution map
 s of such systems\, as well as technologies for observing and controlling 
 high-speed physiological dynamics in such systems.  First\, we have devel
 oped a method for imaging specimens with nanoscale precision\, by embeddin
 g them in a swellable polymer\, homogenizing their mechanical properties\,
  and exposing them to water – which causes them to expand manyfold isotr
 opically. This method\, which we call expansion microscopy (ExM)\, enables
  ordinary microscopes to do nanoscale imaging\, in a multiplexed fashion 
 – important\, for example\, for brain mapping.  Second\, we have develo
 ped a set of genetically-encoded reagents\, known as optogenetic tools\, t
 hat when expressed in specific neurons\, enable their electrical activitie
 s to be precisely driven or silenced in response to millisecond timescale 
 pulses of light.  Finally\, we are designing\, and evolving\, novel reage
 nts\, such as fluorescent voltage indicators and somatically targeted calc
 ium indicators\, to enable the imaging of fast physiological processes in 
 3-D with millisecond precision.  In this way we aim to enable the systema
 tic mapping\, control\, and dynamical observation of complex biological sy
 stems like the brain.\n 
LOCATION:https://go.epfl.ch/EPFLBioETalks
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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