8th Annual Neurophotonics Center Symposium

Methods for imaging the structure and function of the nervous system are central to the study of neuroscience in all organisms. Neurophotonics techniques applied across a wide array of species, with varied anatomical complexities, sensory systems, behavioral repertoires, and natural habitats are generating new understanding of the nature and function of the nervous system.  

Many of the advanced imaging approaches used to study the nervous system were first developed in so-called model species that are widely used in neuroscience research. Research and technique development in these model organisms continue to define the cutting-edge of neurophotonics and push the limits of what is possible. In addition, recent advances in genetic techniques and sequencing technologies have allowed neuroscience researchers to adapt these neuroimaging approaches for use in non-traditional organisms. This has enabled neuroimaging of structure and function in animals with unique specializations, capabilities and behaviors, allowing for the comparison and understanding of nervous system function across the diversity of animals on this planet.

This symposium will present neuroimaging approaches used in a diverse assortment of species. This includes model organisms, which set the standards for what is possible, as well as non-traditional model species, which allow for new insights into the function of unique nervous systems. We aim to explore similarities and differences in imaging approaches used throughout the animal kingdom, and to identify and understand commonalities of nervous system function that apply across the tree of life.