Congratulations to NPC trainee Patrick Doran for receiving an NIH F31 Fellowship
Simultaneous optical voltage imaging and fMRI in behaving mice
Congratulations to Patrick Doran for receiving an NIH F31 fellowship for his project “Simultaneous optical voltage imaging and fMRI in behaving mice.” Patrick is a BU BME PhD Student and NPC trainee working with NPC Faculty member Professor Anna Devor’s group. The abstract of his work follows:
Among the various areas in brain research, brain imaging is the most appreciated by a general audience. Due to recent advances in imaging technologies, we can “see” brain in action. One of the most promising and widely used noninvasive imaging technologies is functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) based on the Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) contrast. However, the physiological basis of this technique is still poorly understood. Electrical recordings and in vivo 2-photon calcium imaging have enabled us to understand functions of identified neuronal populations. A major challenge of today is to connect these microscopic neuroscience insights, which require invasive imaging and recording tools, with macroscopic noninvasive fMRI signals. To address this challenge, I will combine optical imaging of electrical neuronal activity simultaneously with BOLD fMRI measurements in awake behaving mice. While working on my dissertation project, I will expand my scientific knowledge base, produce high-profile publications, and build a foundation for my future career as an independent investigator.