Revolutionizing Neuroscience: Wireless, Battery-free Optofluidics with Dr. Wu

Title: Revolutionizing Neuroscience: Wireless, Battery-free Optofluidics with Dr. WuDescription: On this episode, we're delighted to host Dr. Wu, who is at the forefront of developing innovative solutions for controlling neuronal activity in neuroscience research. His groundbreaking work centers on in vivo optogenetics and photopharmacology, techniques with vast potential but limited applicability due to the lack of suitable tools.Dr. Wu introduces us to a wireless, battery-free, programmable multilateral optofluidic platform designed for user-selected applications in optogenetics, pharmacology, and photopharmacology. This system boasts mechanically compliant microfluidic and electronic interconnects and offers dynamic control over drug delivery rates. Notably, it can be programmed in real-time to simultaneously control up to 256 separate devices within a single cage environment.Our conversation then dives into the potential of this technology in manipulating animal behavior. Dr. Wu shares results from his team's behavioral experiments, where they successfully controlled motor behaviors in grouped mice via in vivo optogenetics coupled with localized gene delivery and the controlled photolysis of caged glutamate.Join us as we delve into the future of neuroscience with Dr. Wu, exploring the many ways this optofluidic system can expand the scope of wireless techniques in the study of neural processing in animal models.Keywords: Neuroscience, Optogenetics, Phytopharmacology, Wireless Techniques, Battery-free, Optofluidics, Neurobiology, In Vivo Studies, Gene Delivery.Wireless multi-lateral optofluidic microsystems for real-time programmable optogenetics and photopharmacology Nat Commun 13, 5571 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32947-0