Abstract
Understanding complex cognitive functions starts with elucidating how information is encoded and transmitted within individual brain microcircuits. To achieve this goal, we need recording techniques capable of capturing the activity of large populations of neurons with a temporal precision close to the timescale of spikes and a spatial resolution high enough to resolve their spatial organization. Moreover, these techniques should be compatible with well-established and well-validated behavioural paradigms. Traditional extracellular recording techniques have drawbacks regarding their ability to identify genetically defined cell types and are of limited use for studies of subcellular dynamics. Two-photon (2P) functional imaging stands out by offering subcellular spatial resolution and near-spike temporal resolution, so it has emerged as one of the workhorses to study neural populations' coding and computational properties. However, its application had been limited by the bulky nature of conventional 2P imaging systems, restricting studies to head-fixed animals. Over the last two decades, considerable progress has been made in developing portable microscopes specifically tailored for freely-moving-animal functional imaging. This talk introduces our recent work in developing new generations of 2P miniscopes with resolution, field of view, speed, and z-scanning capability similar to that of 2P benchtop microscopes. I will highlight key applications from my group and our collaborators, showcasing how this technology contributes to studying the neuronal computation rulesets in cortical microcircuits. Additionally, I'll discuss the current limits and perspective for future developments.”
Biography
Weijian Zong is currently the group leader of the neurophotonics lab at the Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway. He had his post.doc training in the lab of Prof. Edvard Moser and Prof. May-Britt Moser. He holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering from Peking University and a Ph.D. in biophotonics, supervised by professors Heping Cheng and Ming Fan. Dr. Zong's research is focused on developing cutting-edge imaging techniques to understand brain function and behaviour. His research has contributed significantly to the development of miniature two-photon microscopy for brain imaging in freely behaving mice.
He holds several invention patents in optical and imaging and has received numerous fellowships and awards for his work, including the Tycho Jæger’s Prize in Electro-Optics in 2022, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship in 2019, China's top 10 scientific achievements and Shitsan Pai Award for Young Biophysicists Award in 2017.