Neuroscience University of Chicago Biological Sciences
The Department of Neurobiology at the Univeristy of Chicago
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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.

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.

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


Date
Event
Speaker
TBA CNS Seminar 
(BSLC 205)
TBA
TBA CON Seminar
(BSLC 205)
TBA

TBA
CMP Seminar
(GCIS W301)

TBA

 
2009 Department of Neurobiology
The University of Chicago
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