Principal Investigator Edward Boyden
Co-investigator Robert Desimone
We have recently shown that the light-activated proteins channelrhodopsin-2 and halorhodopsin can be used to activate and inhibit neurons in response to light of different wavelengths. We are now developing precisely-targetable fiber arrays and in vivo-optimized expression systems to enable the use of this tool in awake, behaving primates. By combining these technologies with behavioral and physiological experiments, we hope to open up new horizons on the analysis of cognition. In the longer term, it may be possible to apply a similar approach to the human nervous system; potential clinical applications include the suppression of epileptic seizures, restoration of visual perception in patients with retinal degeneration, or deep brain stimulation for conditions such as Parkinson's disease.