Where and when

speaker: Clara Zaccaria
affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Trento, Italy
date: Tuesday, November 19, 2024 – 4pm (Italian time)
venue: Genoa (Italy), Polo Valletta Puggia – Università di Genova: DIBRIS-DIMA (room 705)
link: Google Meet

Platforms for single cell optogenetics on in-vitro neuronal cultures

abstract: Investigating the processes underlying brain activity can be challenging. Traditional in vivo experiments involve millions of different cells, making it difficult to isolate and study individual processes. This is where in vitro techniques can provide a controlled environment to explore mechanisms involved in processes like memory formation or abnormal behaviors such as epilepsy. As part of the ERC BACKUP project, two platforms were designed to optogenetically induce single-cell excitation in in-vitro neuronal cultures: a digital light processing (DLP) device and an integrated photonic platform.  
The DLP device, integrated with a confocal spinning-disk microscope, after appropriate optimization, allows precise simultaneous control over neuronal activity. This capability enabled the generation of small, discrete modules of engram circuits in primary cortical cells, emulating Hebb's postulate, which describes the basic process underlying memory formation. By using the Synactive labeling technique in conjunction with our strategy, we were able to identify and track strengthened spines between active neurons.  
This device can be coupled to a multi electrode array (MEA) system to cretae a closed loop system in which analysis of network signals is followed by a specific excitation or inhibition of the neuronal culture.  
In parallel, an integrated photonic circuit was designed to achieve single-cell optogenetic excitation at 488 nm using custom aperiodic grating scatterers. The goal is to link biological networks with photonic artificial neuronal networks to create a hybrid computation platforms.