Noninvasive Ultrasonic Drug Uncaging Technique
Posted on October 26th, 2020
We have made and validated these nanoparticles (as supported by the BRAIN Initiative), and shown that after an intravenous infusion of the nanoparticles, they induce drug effects only when and where focused ultrasound is applied to the brain. We have seen that the particles may be loaded with any of a variety of neuromodulatory agents. We have also validated a production and storage scheme that will allow them to be stored long term and shipped frozen to collaborator sites. We are now working on a fool-proof protocol for any lab to easily make their own particles.
Renewable Affinity Reagents
Posted on October 26th, 2020
We develop, validate, and enhance community access to a diverse toolbox of renewable recombinant antibodies and affinity reagents for neuroscience research. Extensively characterized in mammalian brain samples (rat, mouse, human). These reagents include conventional and recombinant mouse monoclonal antibodies and miniaturized ScFV derivatives, and nanobodies (single chain miniaturized antibodies). The small size, solubility, and stability of ScFvs and nAbs facilitates their functional expression in mammalian cells, allowing for their use as intrabodies to target cargo including optogenetic reports and actuators to distinct subcellular sites in neurons. Their small size also enhances the resolution of light and electron microscope imaging when they are used as immunolabels, and their penetration into intact cleared samples.