Grant Jacobs • Feb 01, 2016 •
With a little help from gene therapy and optogenetics, a blue light will get it up. Every now and then a research paper leaves me thinking, “well, that was unexpected”. Last week I encountered research describing an optogenetic erectile stimulator that allows blue-light to stimulate an erection. Small molecules play a part in a lot of … Read More
Grant Jacobs • May 18, 2011 •
Optogenetics lets researchers directly examine the brain through controlling neurons in the brain by inserting genes for particular photoreceptors, proteins that respond to light, into neurons. But let Ed Boyden explain it.* He gives an excellent presentation, with great visuals: … Read More
Darcy Cowan • Nov 26, 2010 •
“it’s all about getting to the truth” – Karl Deisseroth. May 20th Nature Podcast fMRI, it’s everywhere. From studies looking at how we separate fantasy from reality to identifying psychopaths. The technique offers a very powerful way analyse that most elusive of domains, the contents of another person’s brain. Even so the technology is not [...] … Read More
Grant Jacobs • Nov 06, 2010 •
Weekend video (for non-specialists). In the TED lecture below, Gero Miesenböck presents his work in optogenetics, examining the function of the brain through creating animals where specific neurons (nerve cells) are made sensitive to light. He has a very dry sense of humour dropped in places of his lecture. The … Read More