Solving the mysteries of bioscience
We are an independent nonprofit bioscience research institute aimed at unlocking the mysteries of human biology through foundational science.
Foundational Science Fuels Breakthroughs
We are leaders in large-scale research that transforms our understanding of human health and disease and shapes how science is conducted worldwide.
Inspiring Next-Generation Scientists
To us, open science extends to inspiring the next generation of scientists by supporting access to science resources, research, and experiences.
Technique built off rabies virus lets scientists trace backward flow of neural activity in the mouse brain
Featuring Rachel Tompa
12.22.2022
1 min read
Share:
In its natural form, the rabies virus possesses a terrifying ability to zip “backwards” along nerve cells, traveling from the ends of nerve fibers embedded in a muscle (the site of an infected bite) to neuron bodies in the spinal cord and, eventually, the brain. But over the past few decades, neuroscientists have hijacked the path traced by this virus to use as a tool for understanding the pathways information travels in the brain. By engineering rabies virus to carry fluorescent markers (and to lose its deadliness), scientists were able to light up so-called retrograde neural connections — pinpointing the neurons that talk to the original “infected” neuron. Researchers at the Allen Institute for Brain Science, a division of the Allen Institute, have adapted this method to trace the vast suite of connections that input into the mouse visual cortex, one of the parts of the brain that processes what the animal sees. In this image composite created by Senior Scientist Shenqin Yao, Ph.D., neurons in the entire mouse brain that connect to the visual cortex are lit up in green. The team recently published their findings in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
Microscopic viewpoints, computer-generated models, intricate tracings and more — see a new side of science with SciShots.
12.08.2022
11.28.2022
11.12.2022
Rachel Tompa is a science and health writer and editor. A former molecular biologist, she’s been telling science stories since 2007 and has covered the gamut of science topics, including the microbiome, the human brain, pregnancy, evolution, science policy and infectious disease. As Senior Editor at the Allen Institute, Rachel writes stories and creates podcast episodes covering all the Institute’s scientific divisions.
Get in touch at [email protected].