generated by AI
Right at the beginning of the year, three BrainLinks-BrainTools members were successful in jointly acquiring a research project from the German Research Foundation (DFG). This project is the result of a newly established cooperation between the members Prof. Ataman (Faculty of Engineering), Prof. Diester (Faculty of Biology) and Prof. Bartos (Faculty of Medicine), who work together in the center at the interface of neuroscience and technology.
Internal funding played a central role in the preparatory work for getting granted this DFG project, enabling the researchers to initially test their innovative idea in the pilot project 2P-miniscope. The focus lies on a revolutionary mini-2-photon microscope that is so small that it can be worn directly on an animal's head. This groundbreaking device opens up completely new perspectives in behavioral research, as it allows the animal to move freely during its tasks while neuronal activity is measured and adapted on a very fine scale.
In contrast to previous 2-photon-approaches, where animals are often studied in artificial, virtual environments, this microscope makes it possible to observe the learning and behavioral process in real environments. This offers researchers the opportunity to clarify fundamental questions, such as whether learning behavior in real and virtual environments is comparable or whether there are significant differences. This question is highly relevant as learning in virtual environments is becoming increasingly popular.
The development of this microscope not only marks a technological milestone, but also a significant advance in neuroscientific research. The successful DFG funding underlines the relevance of this project and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.