Facilities

We conduct experiments in organotypic slice cultures, acute brain slices, and in vivo, using five dedicated 2P excitation imaging systems (two Olympus FluoView1000 scopes, a twinned Femtonics Femto-2D, and a Femtonics Femto-Smart Dual), and a super-resolution Vutara 350 SR equipped for dSTORM imaging.

The FluoView systems (one shared with Professor Alex Gourine, designated for in vivo experiments) are equipped with dual scanheads for 2PE imaging and 2P uncaging, and FLIM detectors. The twinned Femtonics systems are for 2PE imaging and 2P uncaging using three fs lasers, also equipped with FLIM detectors and a fast 3D imaging capability. The Femto-Smart Dual system (designated for in vitro and in vivo) is equipped with a hybrid resonant / galvanic dual scanner, two fs lasers, optogenetic capabilities and replaceable FLIM detector.

Monte Carlo diffusion simulations and neuron network modelling are carried out using a dedicated 64-node client cluster adapted for parallel computing, but increasingly using cloud computing through a dedicated container-based environment (www.neuroalgebra.com). We use further experimental patch-clamp DIC rigs and facilities, including a fast-solution-exchange (1 ms resolution) drive rig equipped with an ultra-fast Evole 512 camera.