Villum Experiment project: Brain function is underlined by both the brain network and chemical neuronal signalling. Imaging techniques is the key to discover the synergistic imbalances of these features in disease. We have discovered a new imaging modality for obtaining ultra-high resolution of the whole-brain network, using light-sheet fluorescence microscopy, which enables reconstruction of the connectome from intact cleared mouse brain in micrometer resolution. Using the same tractography techniques as have been developed for MRI1, our new optical imaging technique can reconstruct the connectome of the mouse brain in 3D, at a resolution that is more than 25,000 times better than existing techniques (e.g. MRI).
In this proposed two-year postdoc project we will explore what underlying source is responsible for the tissue directionality dependence we observe in cleared “glass” brains. We will design a mechanical setup that within the microscope performs a 3D rotation of the imaging setup in order to image the brain at different orientations. We will then reconstruct the neuronal connectome of cleared brain in 3D, using tractography techniques already established for MRI1. Finally, we will compare our reconstructed connectome results with that obtained using MRI of the same brains.