We have made lots of progress, setting up our new behavior lab at Knudsen A-166.

At the UCLA Science Poster Day,  both Peter and Tim have been awarded the Dean's Prize.  

By Arisaka
The first 3D image by the Bessel Beam Sheet Illumination has been performed successfully, using the whole mouse brain of Clarity. This is 1 mm x 1 mm x 200 um of 3D volume. 

Three key members,  Blake, Paul and Steve, are standing in front of the Bessel Beam system, after successful 3D imaging. 

By Arisaka
We have moved the Electrotaxis experiment to the best optical table at Knudsen B-171. Here Taejoon is timing the camera's switch to take another round of data. 

Below is one of the runs with 8 V/cm electric field. It is 10x faster than real. HV was off at the beginning, then then turn on and off.   Clear electrotaxis towards right (= negative) with +/- 60 degree opening angle are observed.  When HV is off, they retract backwards for a moment, followed by the omega turn. 

Blake and his team have nearly completed the Bessel Beam Sheet Illumination microscope.   It will be used of Clarity brains, as well as imaging neurons in freely navigating C. elegans. 

Everything is coming together smoothly in the lab, and several of our working groups have completed initial experimental set-ups. 

We would like to congratulate the E-Field/Na group, led by Michelle and Leon, on successfully replicating a previous paper on the movement of C. elegans in an electrophoresis chamber. This accomplishment has been long in the making, and we are excited to say that the set up and worms are cooperating to see the predicted outcome.

We would also like to congratulate our Phototaxis group, led by Shirley, for finishing their preliminary experimental set up as well. They have started to take videos and trials to find the response time of C. elegans under blue light stimulations, and they will soon begin analysis on their data from this weekend.