Anna Le (BLAINEY LAB)

Identifying Regulators of Synaptogenesis with Optical Pooled Screens

Synaptogenesis, the formation of neuronal synapses, plays a critical role in shaping the connectivity and function of the nervous system. Dysregulation of this process has been implicated in autism, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease. Understanding the mechanisms underlying synapse formation therefore remains an outstanding goal in neurobiology. Here, we performed an image-based pooled screen to systematically map the regulatory networks driving this process, and identified novel molecular interactions in synaptogenesis.

Corban Swain (BOYDEN LAB)

Towards Multimodal Interrogation of Olfactory-driven Behaviors In The Zebrafish Brain

Achieving a deep understanding of the brain is an endeavor that requires us to consider biomolecular, electrical, and sensory interactions across many scales. Towards the goal of correlating real-time behavioral responses, live brain activity, and neuro-cellular structure in the same organism, we have developed a system for probing the olfactory system of zebrafish. In this talk, we discuss the development of this olfactory simulation system and motivate its application to explore the mechanistic links between sensation, choice, and action.