The optogenetic workshop was held in the Department of Zoology and Neurobiology at the Ruhr-University Bochum from 20th - 23rd April 2015 and was organized by Ilka Diester (Freiburg), Olivia Masseck (Bochum) and Stefan Herlitze (Bochum). The aim of the course was the distribution of optogenetic expertise within the SPP 1665. 21 participants from the labs involved in the Priority Programm
were trained in small groups of 3-4 students at six hands on sessions in various aspects of otptogenetics including biophysical characterization of optogenetic probes, optogenetic stimulation and neural recordings of Purkinje cells in anaesthetized mice, building, implanting and usin multi-electrode-fiber drives,
in vivo recordings and optogenetic control of motor behavior as well as the analysis of optogenetic experiments with Matlab scripts. The hands on sessions which were offered by the Diester lab, the Herlitze lab and the Ponomarenko lab were complemented by talks from Peter Hegemann (Berlin), Johannes Letzkus (Frankfurt), Jessica Hartmann (Frankfurt), Alexey Ponomarenko (Berlin) and Patrick Ruther (Freiburg) to emphasize the newest development in optogenetic tools and devices,
strategies for the delivery of optogenetic tools and imaging the brain using these tools. In addition, Ilka Diester gave an overview of how to plan an otpogenetic experiment and Stefan Herlitze, Olivia Masseck and Katharina Spoida (Bochum) presented their work on controlling of GPCR signaling pathways by light.
In addition, the workshop offered a unique opportunity to exchange expertise between the labs of the SPP 1665 and gave ample of opportunity for scientific discussions.
The program of the workshop and a highly interesting presentation are also available.