Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

OVERVIEW: The objective of this grant is to obtain funding to build a core facility of a complete system of high-density silicon probes for extracellular recording and optogenetic perturbations of neural activity simultaneously across different structures in an awake, freely moving mice. The development of high-density probes has revolutionized the study of neural circuits, and vastly expanded the scope of what is possible in experimental neuroscience. This technology will dramatically advance the capabilities of neurobiology research groups at the University of Victoria. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT: The field of neurobiology has been revolutionized by fabrication of ultra small silicon probes, with hundreds of micron sized recording sites, and GPU assisted algorithms that allow complex waveforms recorded across these sites to be decomposed into the individual waveforms of a single neuron's action potentials. The ability to record hundreds of units across multiple brain structures, all in an awake and potentially freely moving rodent is driving a golden age of systems neuroscience research. This technology is even directly compatible with optogenetic light based perturbations of neurons, allowing elegant circuit dissection, causality focused experiments and concurrent measurements of rodent behavior and cerebral blood flow. Suddenly experiments previously only dreamed of are achievable. The adoption of this technology in Canada however has been slow due to the lack of the expertise, which in turn limits developing skilled trainees. Recently the Brown lab has been joined by a postdoc with extensive experience in silicon probe recordings. Thus, with Dr Patrick Reeson's experience and our collaboration with electrophysiology expert Dr Raad Nashmi, we are uniquely positioned to build a core electrophysiology setup to utilize this technology. The equipment purchased through the NSERC RTI grant will help train the next generation of scientists in this method and fundamentally accelerate research programs across the entire University of Victoria neurobiology community. Funding this cluster of modern multi-unit recording will help Canada attract top research talent and compete globally at the cutting edge of neuroscience.