A new breakthrough technology, co-developed by UCL scientists, that simultaneously records and manipulates neuron activity deep within the brain could transform our understanding of neural circuits and neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia.
The device, known as Neuropixels Opto and researched in mice, integrates two powerful but traditionally separate techniques—electrophysiology (the study of the electrical activity of living cells) and optogenetics (combining genetics and optics to control cells). They form a single probe, enabling unprecedented insight into how individual neurons in the brain function and interact.
Published in Nature Methods,the system allows researchers to monitor the electrical activity of hundreds of neurons while also selectively activating or silencing specific cells using light.
Researchers at the Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM), Karolinska Institutet, have identified a possible mechanism behind the spread of the aggressive brain tumor diffuse midline glioma. The study shows that the brain’s own immune cells, microglia, may contribute to the tumor’s invasive capacity by producing the protein fibronectin. The results are published in the journal Cell Death & Disease.
Diffuse midline glioma (DMG), also known as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), is a rare but highly aggressive brain tumor that primarily affects children. There is currently no effective treatment, and the prognosis is very poor.
In the present study, the researchers investigated how microglia—the brain’s immune cells—are affected by tumor cells and what role they play in disease progression.
A new study reveals that the pace of a child’s brain maturation can predict whether they will tend to bottle up their emotions during their teenage years, offering new clues about the biological roots of adolescent mental health.
From time to time, Harvard Health Publishing issues Special Health Reports – consumer-facing, doctor-reviewed guides translating medical research for general readers. Previous reports included topics such as Alzheimer’s and heart disease. This new one, presented to the public earlier this week, is dedicated to healthy longevity. While this report, aimed mostly at curious laypeople and priced at $29, might not reveal a trove of new information to a longevity-savvy reader, it is an unmistakable sign that longevity science and the very idea of extending lifespan and healthspan are finally entering the mainstream.
A newly identified protein called GPNMB may play a major role in helping Parkinson’s disease spread through the brain. Researchers discovered that immune cells release the protein in response to damaged neurons, creating a vicious cycle that speeds up brain cell degeneration. In early experiments, antibodies that blocked GPNMB stopped the toxic process from spreading between cells.
Investigadores enseñan a las células cerebrales a jugar a ‘Doom’
Australian researchers have trained lab-grown brain cells on a silicon computer chip to play the nineties shooter game “Doom” and say they are just scratching the surface of what the neurons could be capable of doing.
It’s the science-fiction work of biotech boffins at Cortical Labs, who researched and developed the technology that harnesses the workings of the brain’s networking system.
Each so-called “biological computer” contains around 200,000 living human brain cells, grown from stem cells that were harvested from blood donations.
In this exciting episode, we dive deep into the world of bio-inspired robotics with Prof. Auke Jan Ijspeert, a Swiss-Dutch roboticist and neuroscientist at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). As the head of the Biorobotics Laboratory, Prof. Ijspeert shares how nature serves as the ultimate blueprint for designing the robots of the future. 🌿🤖
🔑 Key Highlights:
Bio-Inspired Robotics: Explore how Prof. Ijspeert and his team are mimicking nature to create innovative robots that move and behave like animals. Neuroscience & Robotics: Learn how insights from neuroscience help reverse-engineer the sensorimotor coordination found in animals, applying it to robotic systems. From Simulation to Reality: Discover the challenges of translating robotic simulations into real-world applications. Exoskeletons & Assistive Technologies: Prof. Ijspeert discusses the development of exoskeletons for healthcare and military use, along with assistive furniture for people with limited mobility. Humanoid Robots & Autonomous Systems: Get a sneak peek into the future of autonomous robotics, from central pattern generators to humanoid robots.
💡 Why You Should Watch: Prof. Ijspeert is a trailblazer in the field of biorobotics, blending biology, neuroscience, and engineering to push the boundaries of what robots can achieve. Whether you’re a robotics enthusiast, a neuroscientist, or just curious about how nature inspires technology, this episode is packed with insights that could shape the future of robotics and artificial intelligence.
🔗 Connect with Prof. Auke Ijspeert:
https://www.epfl.ch/labs/biorob/peopl… / biorob_epfl / biorob_epfl Time Stamp 0:00 to 02:35 — Intro, Bio-Inspired Robots 02:35 to 04:13 — Neuroscience to back engineer bio-robots 04:13 to 06:22 — Mimicking nature & biorobots examples 06:22 to 07:55 — Simulation to real life translation challenges 07:55 to 09:10 — Central pattern generators & their role in robotic motion 09:10 to 10:47 — Learnings from creating bio-inspired robots 10:47 to 13:40 — EPFL Bio-Robotics laboratory 13:40 to 15:43 — Applications of Bio-robotics 15:43 to 20:05 — Exoskeleton 18:19 to 20:05 — Assertive furniture robotics 20:05 to 26:30 — exoskeleton in healthcare & military warfare 26:30 to 31:51 — Humanoid Robots 31:51 to 34:42 — Autonomous Robots 34:42 to 37:04 — Rhex Robots & Partnerships 37:04 to 40:04 — The future of robotics Watch our highest-viewed videos: 1-DR R VIJAYARAGHAVAN — PROF & PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR AT TIFR India’s 1st Quantum Computer– • Quantum computer from India with Dr r vija… 2-TATA MOTORS-DRIVING THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY IN INDIA-SHAILESH CHANDRA-MD: TATA MOTORS– • TATA MOTORS-DRIVING THE FUTURE OF MOBILIT… 3-MIT REPORT PREDICTS SOCIETAL COLLAPSE BY 2040 — GAYA HERRINGTON DIR SUSTAINABILITY: KPMG • MIT Report predicts Total Societal Collaps… 4-WORLDS 1ST HUMAN HEAD TRANSPLANTATION-DR SERGIO CANAVERO — • WORLDS 1ST HUMAN HEAD TRANSPLANTATION-DR… 5-DR HAROLD KATCHER — CTO NUGENICS RESEARCH Breakthrough in Age Reversal– • BREAKTHROUGH IN AGE REVERSAL WITH YOUNGBLO… 6-How Neuroscience Will Change The Future Of Technology — Dr. James Giordano • How Neuroscience Will Change The Future Of… 7-STARTUP FROM INDIA AIMING FOR LEVEL 5 AUTONOMY — SANJEEV SHARMA CEO SWAAYATT ROBOTS — • SELF-DRIVING STARTUP FROM INDIA AIMING FOR… 8-MAN BEHIND GOOGLE QUANTUM SUPREMACY — JOHN MARTINIS — • MAN BEHIND GOOGLE QUANTUM SUPREMACY — JOHN… 9-BANKING 4.0 — BRETT KING FUTURIST, BESTSELLING AUTHOR & FOUNDER MOVEN — • BANKING 4.0 — BRETT KING FUTURIST, BESTSEL… 10-E-VTOL & HYPERLOOP-FUTURE OF INDIA” S MOBILITY-SATYANARAYANA CHAKRAVARTHY • E-VTOL & HYPERLOOP-FUTURE OF INDIA“S MOBI… 11-HOW NEUROMORPHIC COMPUTING WILL ACCELERATE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE — PROF SHUBHAM SAHAY-IIT KANPUR– • HOW NEUROMORPHIC COMPUTING WILL ACCELERATE… 12-How India Is Building a Quantum Computer — Dr. Anirban Bandyopadhyay • How India Is Building a Quantum Computer -… Connect & Follow us at: / eddieavil / change-transform-india / changetransformindia / intothechange / changetransformindia Listen to the Audio Podcast at: https://anchor.fm/transform-impossiblehttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast… https://open.spotify.com/show/56IZXdz… https://www.breaker.audio/change-i-m–… https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=… Don’t Forget to Subscribe / @toctwpodcast #robot #robotics #artificialintelligence #epfl.
