Alex is a PhD student in Psychology at the University of Toronto, supervised by Dr. Sheena Josselyn.  His work investigates the mechanisms of memory formation and storage, and how ensembles of neurons in the amygdala represent emotional memories.  To do this, he uses a number of experimental techniques including optogenetics, calcium imaging and behavioural analysis.

With CONP’s support, Alex is currently working to develop new open-source tools for imaging brain activity in awake, behaving animals.  He is designing and building miniature microscopes that can be worn by mice, allowing researchers to visualize neurons firing while an animal explores, learns and remembers.  By sharing the plans and data from these microscopes, this project aims to make calcium imaging technology more accessible to the neuroscience community.