Optogenetics: Controlling the Brain with Light

"Optogenetics: Controlling the Brain with Light" Capitol Hill Briefing on Tuesday, June 9, 2015 in Washington, D.C.

Highlighted as one of the “big ideas” of the past decade by the journal Science, optogenetics involves the use of light to control neurons, and it has opened up a realm of possibilities for better understanding the brain.

Speakers:

Rep. Chaka Fattah (opening remarks)

Edward Boyden, Ph.D., leads the MIT Media Lab's Synthetic Neurobiology research group

Brian Y. Chow, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania

Dayu Lin, Ph.D., leads her lab within the Smilow Neuroscience Program and the Dept. of Psychiatry at New York University

Neuroscience briefings are hosted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), in conjunction with Rep. Chaka Fattah, and through the support of the Dana Foundation.

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[feelingfeni]

8:20
Sounds like he said geneticaly modified neurons without saying those words.

[taradoran]

And it will be like as you would say and you will live like us and do this “serendipitously”.

[IWorfare]

should we use optogenetics or brain implant chips for getting rid of stuff like depression, anxiety, and pain? i heard some companies (like inner cosmos) are trying to use brain implant chips but i dont know how they will be able to target the right neuron if they are only placing the chip on the outside of the brain.