Live imaging of neural circuits mediating pain

The aim of this project is to characterize the neuronal circuitry involved in pain signaling in genetically modified zebrafish expressing fluorescent reporters of activity. The complex nerve pathways that cause pain are still not fully understood and experiments to measure how large populations of nerve cells signal to each other are extremely difficult to conduct using rodents. The zebrafish is a small transparent fish that has a small brain and very simple neuronal circuitry, yet it can still perform various higher-level behavioral tasks and can detect painful stimuli. The zebrafish also has a simple genome so it can be genetically modified easily and previous studies have already shown that some of the pathways associated with pain signals in humans are also present in the fish.

Using state-of-the art whole animal two photon imaging, the student will investigate an injury-based model of pain in zebrafish expressing fluorescent reporters of neuronal activity (GCaMP6, iGluSnFr and SynaptopHlourin). Results of the project will provide new insight into the synaptic and circuitry changes that accompany nociception and generate a new animal model for evaluating analgesics.

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