Project level: PhD

DECRA fellow Itia Favre-Bulle is interested in brain function at the level of neurons and the circuits that they form. Using the zebrafish model system, we employ optogenetics to observe tens of thousands of neurons simultaneously in the brains of live behaving animals. We use light to target specific population of neurons and apply this to understanding the fundamentals of sensory processing. Our work produces large datasets, so we have a great need for students with interests in the broad areas of optics, image analysis, and computational biology. We build our own microscopes and use them to sculpt light into holograms for optogenetics and optical trapping, so we need students with a background in optics and interest in biology. However, all of these techniques are ultimately focused on questions related to the brain’s function and behaviour, so we have projects available for classically trained neuroscientists. Prospective students with interests in these areas are encouraged to apply.

Further information can be found on the UQ Graduate School webpage.

Project members

Dr Itia Favre-Bulle

ARC DECRA Research Fellow
Queensland Brain Institute
ARC DECRA Research Fellow
School of Mathematics and Physics