We study how the nervous
system works - how it is built, how it operates on cellular and systems
levels, how drugs affect it, and how it is damaged in neurodegenerative
diseases.
Our methods are as broad as our
questions, and include molecular, genetic, physiological and anatomical
techniques. We often work collaboratively and train students at the
graduate, post-doctoral and college levels.
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A new way to
quickly map neural circuits
Understanding how different parts of the
brain are connected is a major challenge of neurobiology. A new method
for rapidly mapping neural connections has been recently developed
through a collaboration between the labs of Murray Sherman and Naoum Issa in the University
of Chicago Department of
Neurobiology. The report appears in the Journal of Neurophysiology.
The method is extremely rapid because it
uses light as both a method of stimulating neural tissue and recording
its activity. This means that the connections among hundreds of
locations within a slice of brain tissue can be mapped in the span of
minutes - rather than months as required by classic anatomical
approaches.
The potential applications of this new
method are broad, ranging from construction from a "brain connectivity
atlas" to development of an automated method for screening brain tissue
for tumor margins.
More information
Llano, Theyel, Mallik, Sherman, Issa (2009) Rapid
and sensitive mapping of long range connections in
viro using flavoprotein autofluorescence imaging combined
with laser photostimulation. J. Neurophysiol.
Sherman
Lab
Issa
Lab
For other departmental spotlights, see our Research
Archive.
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Christian Hansel
promoted to Professor
 It is a pleasure to
congratulate Dr. Christian
Hansel on his promotion to Professor in the Department of
Neurobiology.
For more information
Christian
Hansel Faculty page
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