Optogenetics has progressed rapidly from its beginnings in 2005. In a recent video interview, Karl Deisseroth discussed how the timely maturity of several photonics technologies supported his pioneering work in optogenetics.

Earlier, we explained how new micro-mechatronics technologies enabled us to create the first manipulator designed specifically for positioning multiple neural probes.

In this article, we look at how three leading optogenetics labs use the MPM System to position optical fibers as well as neural probes. Big thanks to YoungJu Jo (Deisseroth Lab, Stanford University), Y. Kate Hong (Hong Lab, Carnegie Mellon University), and Josh Siegle (Allen Institute for Brain Science) for photos and patient explanations of their work.

An article in Nature Communications describes how researchers at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia combined neural manipulations, resting-state fMRI and in vivo electrophysiology to probe how inactivation of a cortical node causally affects brain-wide fMRI coupling in the mouse.

At the Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive systems, Federico Rocchi used New Scale's Multi-Probe Micromanipulator with Virtual Coordinate System (VCS) software to insert three 16-channel NeuroNexus silicon neural probes for in vivo electrophysiology recording.

The Jan/Feb 2022 issue of Photonics Focus, a publication of the international society for optics and photonics (SPIE), examines multiple perspectives on photonics and the brain.

Several articles suggest future applications for the Multi-Probe Micromanipulator, beyond its current use in electrophysiology. These include embedding photon detectors in the brain to measure quantum processes inside neurons, or embedding optical waveguides to enable faster light sheet microscopy.