Training

Thematic school 2021
All-optical interrogation of neuronal networks in vivo
Online, 25-28 May 2021

Thanks to the development of optogenetics, activity of neural networks can be recorded and modulated using optical methods. Thereby, these methods have become major tools for studying the neural mechanisms underlying perception, memory and behavior in animal models.

In this school, we will describe the different fluorescence microscopy techniques that have been developed and used to record neuronal activity in vivo, as well as the methods that enable modulating activity according to precise spatio-temporal patterns. We will first discuss the theoretical bases of these methods, and then we will present recent advances that have improved their speed, depth of penetration, field of view (2D and 3D), and applicability to the awake animal, both in head-fixed and unconstrained configurations. We will also give an overview of the palette of optogenetic tools available and the associated targeted labeling technologies. Finally, we will discuss the methods for analysis of raw functional signals, showing the wealth of information that these experiments can provide.

The school is designed for students and researchers in neurophysiology using optical methods and for physicists participating in their development.

Lecturers
Jerome Mertz (Boston Univ, USA)
Liangyi Chen (Peking Univ, CN)
Tommaso Fellin (IIT, IT)
Cathie Ventalon (ENS, FR)
Emiliano Ronzitti (Vision Inst., FR)
Isabelle Férézou (Neuro PSI, FR)
Jean-François Léger (ENS, FR)
Laurent Bourdieu (ENS, FR)
Sébastien Wolf (ENS, FR)
Stéphane Dieudonné (ENS, FR)
Vincent Villette (ENS, FR)
Volker Bormuth (UPMC, FR)

Who should apply? The summer school addresses excellent MSc and PhD students as well as scientists from industry with background in biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, medical science or physics. It follows a challenging and demanding schedule. We plan to admit about 60-80 participants (internally and from abroad).

What will you learn? The EXCITE summer school is dedicated to teaching the basics and wider context necessary to understand recent advances and current challenges in biological and medical imaging. Cutting-edge techniques using a wide range of image-formation mechanisms — including magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, infrared and optical microscopy, electron microscopy and X-ray imaging — will be discussed, with a focus on multimodal and multiscale imaging methods, together with supporting technologies such as computer-aided image analysis and modelling.

What is the structure? The summer school will provide different tracks for participants with a background in life sciences and physical sciences, respectively. The students will have lectures in the morning and hands-on sessions in the afternoon. The highlight is a full-day project in a topic of choice within an academic institution or institute. The program is rounded off with the EXCITE Symposium on “Digital Twins: generating predictive models from imaging data” and an industry day.

How do I attend? Admission is decided based on the applicant’s curriculum vitae, a statement of purpose and applicant’s references. Students who have not yet started a PhD program may apply for a stipend. Interested students are kindly asked to submit their application pack including their study grades and reference letter on our homepage (www.excite.ethz.ch/education/summer-school/Application2021.html)