"Fiat Lux! Using chemistry to illuminate cellular and neuronal physiology"

A talk by Evan Miller (Associate Professor of Chemistry and Molecular & Cell Biology; Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics & Structural Biology, UC Berkeley)

Cells spend a substantial portion of their energy budget to maintain an electrochemical potential difference across the plasma membrane. Optical methods to measure changes in cellular membrane potential provide a powerful complement to traditional, electrode-based methods by providing spatial resolution. My lab has been developing synthetic, voltage-sensitive fluorescent indicators that respond to changes in membrane potential via a photoinduced electron transfer mechanism. In this presentation, I will discuss my group’s recent efforts to synthesize and apply organic fluorescent dyes to living cells to interrogate cellular physiology and structure in the context of the brain and beyond.

If you want to speak with Evan, please contact bkuhn@oist.jp