Optogenetics Club Lecture

Optogenetics Club Lecture with Prof. Dr. Alexander Heisterkamp from the Institute of Quantum Optics, Leibniz University Hannover. He will talk about “Optogenetic implants”.

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Optogenetics has revolutionized the field of neurobiology by allowing highly specific temporal and spatial control of action potentials within neurons and, more generally, the brain of model animals. Moreover, additional possibilities opened up in the field of muscle activation or even triggering cellular pathways with a broad range of optogenetic proteins. In our group we are applying optogenetics in the field of implantology, studying possible ways to deliver light to the site of application, as for example in hearing research as well as in cardiology, for establishing an optogenetically controlled heart contraction. In this talk I will give an overview of our recent work, studying the light activation of parts of the rodent brain within the inferior colliculus using fiber technology, as well as applications for cardiac pacing of artificial heart muscle tissues and rodent hearts with suitable fiber applicators.

Chairs: Tobias Moser and Thomas Mager