You may not have hear of optogenetics, but it’s a method used by researchers to modify brain with adding genes that produce light-sensitive proteins like those found in plants and fungi. When those genes are exposed to light, they cause the brain cells to fire.
So, in theory, scientists could in some way turn on and off brain cells using light. That could help them see which neurons are involved in different brain functions, giving clues to the processes of conditions like epileptic seizures, Alzheimer’s and sleep disorders and potentially allowing them to target specific cells associated with those disorders.
Researchers have been doing this in mice, but current methods require the use of tethered light-emitting devices with fiber optic cables. A team of researchers at Washington University and University of Illinois thought there was a better way to use this technique while mice were in a more natural environment. So they came up with a wirelessly controlled, implantable light-emitting device that’s one-fifth the width of a human hair that connects to a tiny wireless transmitter that sits on the mouse’s head.
When Investment Rhymes with Canada
Canada has a proud history of achievement in the areas of science and technology, and the field of biomanufacturing and life sciences is no exception.
In a paper published in the latest issue of the journal Science, the researchers detail an experiment in which mice were able to move freely while implanted with the device, and the researchers were able control certain behaviors by turning individual lights on and off.
In interviews, the researchers have said the technology has potential applications in medical research and diagnosis, not only in the brain but also in other organs.
