令人兴奋的新合作论文现在在Plos计算生物学!
这篇原创研究文章讨论了非洲爪蟾laevis蝌蚪–中枢神经系统(CNS)模型和三维虚拟蝌蚪生物力学模型。< / p >
Author Summary: Animals constantly receive sensory signals, make decisions and generate behaviours. We see a red light at a pedestrian crossing, stop, and only walk across at a green light. Two systems control this behaviour: the nervous system processes sensory signals and commands the musculoskeletal system to generate motor responses. Most nervous and musculoskeletal systems are too complex to be able to understand even simple behaviours step by step. To simplify the problem, we study responses to touch in young frog tadpoles. Here, detailed information is available on 12 types of brain and spinal cord neurons controlling swimming. To explore how these neurons work, we create two biologically realistic computational models: a CNS model of the nervous system with approximately 2000 neurons generates motor nerve activity and is fed to a virtual tadpole biomechanical model of the whole-body musculoskeletal system to produce movements. Our results suggest that we understand the essence of how simple behaviour is generated. We propose that a simple sensory memory process in the brain, which extends the brief sensory nerve activity, forms the basis for a decision process. This also generates unpredictability in behaviour.
Giulia Messa，神经生物学组最后一年的博士生，已被授予生物学家的公司旅行奖学金。这笔资金将使Giulia能够在
Helin在MPHARM第4年的海报演示中出色地展示了她的研究项目。她收到了很好的问题，并与考官就她的研究细节进行了长时间的讨论。蝌蚪神经生物学实验室的每个人都喜欢和何琳一起工作，我们会非常想念她。我们希望在2021年底再次欢迎何林作为博士生进入实验室。在那之前，我们希望她在最后一年的考试和注册前的药学培训中好运
“Summary: Among the numerous endogenous biological molecules, information on lipids is highly coveted for understanding both aspects of developmental biology and research in fatal chronic diseases. Due to the pronounced absorption features of lipids in the extended near-infrared region (1650-1850 nm), visualisation and identification of lipids become possible using multi-spectral photoacoustic (optoacoustic) microscopy. However, the spectroscopic studies in this spectral region require lasers that can produce high pulse energies over a broad spectral bandwidth to efficiently excite strong photoacoustic signals. The most well-known laser sources capable of satisfying the multi-spectral photoacoustic microscopy requirements (tunability and pulse energy) are tunable nanosecond optical parametric oscillators. However, these lasers have an inherently large footprint, thus preventing their use in compact microscopy systems. Besides, they exhibit low-repetition rates. Here, we demonstrate a compact all-fibre, high pulse energy supercontinuum laser that covers a spectral range from 1440 to 1870 nm with a 7 ns pulse duration and total energy of 18.3 µJ at a repetition rate of 100 kHz. Using the developed high-pulse energy source, we perform multi-spectral photoacoustic microscopy imaging of lipids, both ex vivo on adipose tissue and in vivo to study the development of Xenopus laevis tadpoles, using six different excitation bands over the first overtone transition of C-H vibration bonds (1650-1850 nm).” Read more
Helin是一名MPharm学生，于2019年10月加入神经生物学实验室。Helin将成为我们团队的一员，直到2020学年结束。从广义上讲，Helin’s的研究重点是理解发育中的中脑在运动启动中的作用。Helin在行为和电生理技术方面表现出惊人的实验天赋，她已经为这个项目贡献了高质量的数据。在实验室之外，何林过着非常忙碌的生活。她参加教学药学模块，周末在当地药店工作，业余时间她喜欢烹饪!< / p >
Stella Koutsikou获得了英国生理学会研究补助金，以支持实验室的工作，以确定<强>‘N<强>欧洲基板，在孵化非洲爪蟾蝌蚪’
项目描述:所有动物，无论它们的认知水平如何，都需要不断地做出行为决定。这些决定取决于各种外部线索(如捕食者的存在)和内部线索(如饥饿、口渴)。做出“正确”行为选择的动物能够在环境中适应和生存，并最终繁殖。对具有挑战性的环境做出适当反应的能力需要在大脑中检测和处理感官信息。哺乳动物研究表明，在复杂的大脑区域，如灵长类动物的皮层，决策过程包括传入的感觉信号，在行为开始之前，这些信号缓慢地建立到神经元兴奋性的阈值。奇怪的是，我们最近对非洲爪蟾蝌蚪幼仔的皮肤接触诱发反应的研究显示，在开始游泳之前，它们也有类似的、缓慢的和可变的兴奋累积。因此，在这种简单的动物中，游泳的决定与高等脊椎动物的决策机制具有基本特征。在这个项目中，我们计划确定非洲爪蟾蝌蚪后脑中负责决策机制起源的神经元，并重新评估其在复杂哺乳动物大脑中的基本重要性。< / span > < / p >
Obed是Medway药学院的理学士二年级本科生，是由英国生理学会颁发的著名暑期奖学金的获得者。他将在接下来的8周暑假里研究中脑在非洲爪蟾蝌蚪运动行为下降控制中的作用。在实验室之外，Obed非常热爱足球和他最喜欢的球队，目前的欧洲冠军，利物浦足球俱乐部!< / p >
我们的博士生Giulia Messa在高级神经药理学模块(PHAR1041;模块负责人:Stella Koutsikou博士)。PHAR1041是理学士药理学&Medway药学院的生理学学生。Giulia在设计和演讲方面做得非常出色，以确保将她的发表的研究(米兰大学)与模块的学习成果联系起来。开云体育主頁(欢迎您)在未来，Giulia将通过向肯特大学的本科生介绍她目前的研究成果，进一步为PHAR1041研究型教学做出贡献开云体育主頁(欢迎您)开云体育app客服
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经过几个月在实验室的艰苦工作，很高兴看到我们最后一届药剂学的学生今天很享受他们的研究成果。他们四个都在他们的项目中使用非洲爪蟾蝌蚪作为模型系统。我们喜欢他们呆在实验室里，我们会非常想念他们。借此机会，我们祝愿他们在未来的药学事业中一切顺利!< / p >
朱利亚(左)和米歇尔(右)两个多月前加入神经生物学实验室。这是他们第一次有机会在Medway School of Pharmacy年度博士演讲活动中，在他们的同行和学校的学术人员面前展示他们的研究。< / p >
Giulia is interested in identifying the neurones and mechanisms underlying simple motor decision-making in the hatchling tadpole: Giulia_poster2018
Michelle’s work focuses on deciphering the role of midbrain in survival behaviour: Michelle_poster2018
Four judges, Professors Janet Krska and Yuri Ushkaryov and Drs. Sarah Corlett and Vadim Sumbayev, awarded the prize for Best Poster Presentation to Michelle! This award will provide Michelle with financial support to attend a national conference.
In light of this, our lab will be attending Physiology 2019 (The Physiological Society UK) in Aberdeen.