Supercharge miniature microscope

A miniature microscope that can be mounted on the heads of lab animals to provide an invaluable view into the brain’s inner workings

These are very important tools that can be transformative for any neuroscience question that requires looking at the activity of large populations of brain cells in freely behaving animals.  

The miniscope, which is about an inch tall and weighs less than 4 grams, snaps into a baseplate implanted on top of an animal’s head, capturing neuronal activity. The data is then sent by a thin wire to a computer for analysis.

While neuronal activity previously could only be observed through much larger, heavier microscopes that had to be fixed in place, the miniscope enables researchers to study brain function in animals free to explore their environment and is helping to unlock new insights into social behaviour, memory and neurological conditions.

The microscope supports study of the human brain and potentially spur development of better methods for diagnosing and treating neurological diseases.