Neuronal Network Research Facilities and Laboratories

Electrophysiological Recording Laboratories –

(School of Biomedical Sciences: Dr R Mason & Dr V Chapman; Dr P Smith)

Neuronal ensemble in vivo: Multichannel Acquisition Processor (MAP) Suite – Two Plexon Inc MAP systems (RIG-1: 64-channels; RIG-2: 32-channels) and RIG-3: 64-channel; RIG-4: 16-channel Plexon RECORDER system ~ simultaneous extracellular multiple single-unit and local field potential (LFP) recording using glass-insulated tungsten microelectrode arrays, MME-probes or microwire arrays for in vivo stereotaxic or behavioural electrophysiology.

Neuronal ensemble in vitro: Two Plexon 64-channel RECORDER systems in conventional brain slices, dissociated/monolayer networks or organotypic brain slice cultures grown on Multiple-MicroElectrode Arrays (MEAs) and maintained using a micro-incubation chamber;

Single-Cell Recording Suites - Extracellular single-unit (NeuroLog system) studies in vivo, intracellular and patch-clamp (Axo-Patch 1D) recording for neuronal cultures / brain slice / neural stem cell studies.

Multiple Spike-Train Analysis Software and Hardware - (School of Biomedical Sciences)

Facilities include on-line & off-line patch-clamp and multichannel spike-train analysis processing – RASPUTIN; OffLineSorter; NeuroExplorer (NEX); .

Dedicated Neuronal Cell Culture Facility - (School of Biomedical Sciences)

Facilities & expertise in primary neuronal dissociated/monolayer cell culture (e.g. spinal cord, dorsal-root ganglion cells, hippocampus, frontal cortex) and organotypic slice cultures (e.g. hippocampus).

Associated Collaborative Research Facilities @ Nottingham:

Neuroscience- (Institute of Neuroscience & School of Biomedical Sciences, Medical School)

Facilities include Improvision & Zeiss Morphological Analysis System, in situ hybridisation, Blotting, PCR, immunocytochemistry, and confocal-microscopy (2 Leica; 1 Zeiss systems) and electron-microscopy.

Mathematical Neuroscience - (School of Mathematical Sciences)

fMRI - Magnetic Resonance Group - (School of Physics & Astronomy with School of Biomedical Sciences)

- Division of Academic Radiology – (Medical School / QMC)

Research facilities include human and small animal fMRI

MRC Institute of Hearing Research - (Non-University MRC Institute based on University of Nottingham Campus)

School of Psychology - (Behavioural Neuroscience Group)

School of Engineering - Neurophotonics Research Group, iBIOS: Institute of Biophysics, Imaging and Optical Science

Molecular and Cellular Biology - (School of Biomedical Sciences & Institute of Cell Signalling)

Medical Engineering Unit - (School of Biomedical Sciences, Medical School)

Facilities for design and manufacture of specialised research equipment / instrumentation.

Integrated Circuit Fabrication - (School of Physics & Astronomy)

UNIMAT University of Nottingham Institute for Materials Technology --

Surface Chemistry - (Division of Materials Engineering & Materials Design); Laboratory of Biophysics and Surface Analysis

Pharmaceutical Sciences - Drug Delivery & Tissue Engineering; Laboratory of Biophysics and Surface Analysis