Institute for Brain and Neuroscience Research

Current Projects

Stereotaxic

Omni Drill 35

UMP3 MicroSyringe Pump Controller

UMP3 MicroSyringe Pump

Two-Photon Microscope

TBR4100 Free Radical Analyzer

Milli-Q Water

Leica CM 3050 Research Cryostat

Fluid Percusion Device

Current Projects

Sutter P-97 Micropipette Puller

AxoClamp 2-B Current and Voltage Clamp Microelectrode

Visit the STG Laboratory.

The continuous sleep monitoring rodent cages and rodent beds equipped with piezoelectric sensors that are capable of monitoring 24 h cycle of sleep patterns .

The PiezoSleep rat Behavioral Tracking System is a complete solution to monitor and analyze data regarding sleep/wake cycles in rodents. This is a non-invasive method to monitor sleep/wake cycles which is based on piezoelectric sensor technology. The Piezoelectric polymer film transforms mechanical pressure into electrical signals with >95% accuracy The data acquired using this system increases the statistical power of rat sleep patterns by using multiple cages interconnected with single data acquisition system.

The system contains Customized Open-Floor Cages, Non-invasive PizeoFloor Sensors (PZ-77), Cage Amplifiers [based on cage quantity] (PZ-100), and Data Acquisition Sensors (DAQ). The system, when integrated, provides proven accurate sleep/wake analysis in lab animals, and eliminates the need for human scoring. The piezoelectric floor pads in cages provide a non-invasive alternative to monitor and test mice during sleep, upon wake and throughout “normal” sleep activity. Cages can be customized to suit a variety of needs and can accommodate differential feeding, watering, stimulus adapters, etc. Each individual cage and complete system is thoroughly tested and comes calibrated to suit your project needs.

Leica Aperio Versa 200

ChemiDoc™ MP System

SpectraMax i3

Leica CM3050 Research Cryostat

Located in the MSB H519 (Rutgers University), the experimental system resting on a TMC vibration isolation table consists of an Olympus BX41 upright microscope designed specifically for the rigorous demands of challenging electrophysiological experiments. The microscope has infrared/DIC optics, epifluorescence illumination with a turret designed for 6 cubes and is coupled to 1/2" Interline CCD camera (380-1200 NM, 570 lines) and a 1000-line, 2-channel video monitor. System runs NIS Elements for image acquisition and control of illumination sequences. The microscope is mounted on a Sutter Instruments motorized stage translator. A Scientifica PatchStar ultra stable, super smooth micromanipulators with X, Y, Z and a smart-sensor- based virtual approach axes is mounted on a Tholabs gantry system. The platform supports a PM-1 Submerged Slice Chamber (Warner Instruments) with perfusion flow is accomplished with a low-electrical noise, two channel peristaltic pump (Watson-Marlow, 400 series) coupled to a 1 channel feed-back temperature control system (TC-324B, Warner Instruments) and Inline Solution Heater (SH-27B, Warne Instruments) for maintaining recorded slices at physiological temperatures.

Recording are obtained using an Axon Multiclamp 700B amplifier (Molecular Devices), a computer- controlled, dual channel, resistive-feedback patch clamp and high-speed current clamp with two CV- 7B low-noise headstages. The amplifier is coupled to a Axon Digidata 1400A (Molecular Devices), a low-noise high-resolution 16-bit data acquisition system with a maximum sampling rate of 250 kHz per channel for electrophysiology recordings connected to an USB 2.0 interface on a Dell Optiplex 780 desktop running pCLAMP 10 (Molecular Devices) Data Acquisition and Analysis Software capable of automated execution of protocols, recording in gap-free and episodic waveform stimulation, online filtering and leak subtraction and online statistical analysis. A 6L Circulating Water-bath (Cole-Parmer) is used for pre heating solutions which are connected to cylinders for constant source of oxygen. Additionally, the system includes a High Voltage, Bipolar Rechargeable Stimulus Isolator (WPI A365R) designed for stimulus delivery in neurophysiological applications and a 2 channel Tektronix oscilloscope.

The Pinnacle 8400 rat tethered system it provides information about electroencephalographic readings that can shed light on brain oscillations network excitability and seizure information (EEG Set-up)

The Pinnacle 8400 rat tethered system located in MSB H519 allows for a configurable channel setup and is currently capable of recording simultaneously from 2 animals. It can obtain 4 EEG signals as well as a single depth recording of seizure activity. The EEG data are amplified and filtered by a headmounted 10x preamplifier, which greatly reduces electrical noise. Signals are then passed through the rat commutator/swivel to the final stage conditioning and filtering via a data acquisition system, ADInstruments Powerlab 16/35. The data are then transmitted real-time to a data recording, signal processing software, Labchart. In conjunction with the EEG data, video recordings are recorded with via a high resolution infrared dome camera which can record an object up to 65ft. away in the day or nighttime and synchronized with the EEG data in Labchart. The recorded movie and data file can be played back to view the recorded video and EEG data file simultaneously. Signal analysis and filtering are all performed in LabChart.

PI: Namas Chandra

Characterization of the mechanisms causing blast-induced brain injury, US Army medical command/Henry Jackson Foundation
Development of methodology for standardized testing under blast loading conditions using modular shock tube, Program Executive Office, Aberdeen Proving Grounds
Fundamental Understanding of the Mechanism of Cavitation, One of the Possible Mechanisms of Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury using Surrogate Models, Office of Naval Research
Experimental and Computational Studies of Blast and Blunt Traumatic Brain Injury, Army Research Laboratory
Divergent mechanisms of early cellular injury in high-rate blast and slow im, New Jersey Commission on Brain Injury
Biofidelic Rat Testing Device (RTD) to Measure Blast Exposure and Loadings for TBI, CFD Research Corporation Under STTR

PI: Namas Chandra
Co-PI: Bryan Pfister

Primary Blast Injury Criteria for Animal/Human Models using Field Validated Shock Tubes, US Army Materials and Medical Command

PI: Namas Chandra
Co-PI: Vijayalakshmi Santhakumar

Biomechanical differences in injury rate determine neurological outcomes after blast and impact TBI, Rutgers, RBHS & NJIT

PI: Farzan Nadim
Co-PI: Dirk Bucher

The role of axons in neural coding
Neuromodulation of neuronal oscillations
Long-term regulation of neuromodulation, in collaboration with the Schulz lab at the University of Missouri

PI: Farzan Nadim
Co-PI: Horacio Rotstein

Membrane potential resonance in neurons and networks

PI: Farzan Nadim
Co-PI: Dirk Bucher
Co-PI: Horacio Rotstein

Decoding rules of synaptic plasticity

PI: Casey Diekman

Neuronal data assimilation tools and models for understanding circadian rythms
Mulitsensory integration by circadian clocks

PI: Simon Garnier

Swarm lab RTMDx software
Cognitive-like behaviors in a unicellular slime mold

PI: Gal Haspal

A minimal locomotion circuit to investigate neuronal regeneration

PI: Antje Ihlefeld

Advancing diagnostics tools in cochlear implants

PI: James Haorah

Mechanisms of atherosclerosis in alcohol intake

PI: Eric Fortune

Neural mechanisms for a cooperative behavior
Neural mechanisms of active sensing

PI: Victor Matveev

Cell calcium dynamics

PI: Camelia Prodan

Engineering new materials based on topological phonon edge modes

PI: Bryan Pfister

In-Vitro platforms for medium throughput of injury to human glutamatergic cortical projection neurons
A therapeutic approach to alleviate angiotensin II-induced neurovascular complications in traumatic brain injury
Novel cellular approach to study acute neuronal hyperexcitability in traumatic brain injury model
Surrogate prototyping and experiments for traumatic brain injury
Linking how the magnitude, rate, and impulse of loading to the brain leads to varying types and levels of damage to neuronal structure and function

PI: Mesut Sahin

Electrophysiological assessment of cerebellar injury
Underlying mechanisms of transcranial DC stimulation of the cerebellum
A whole-brain ultrasonic neural stimulation and photoacoustic recording system in behaving animals
Spinal cord computer interface

Center for Injury Biomechanics, Materials and Medicine (CIBM3)

Director
Namas Chandra

The center researches traumatic brain injury, material science, molecular dynamics, nanoscale composites, nanoscale composites, biomedical engineering, superplasticity, computational material science.

Neurodevelopment, Injury and Repair Laboratory

Principal Investigator
Bryan Pfister

Studies tissue engineering; developmental neural biology; axon growth; mechanisms of neural injuries; nervous system injury repair.

Center for Rehabilitation Robotics

Principal Investigator
Sergei Adamovich

This center is currently comprised of 8 projects applying robotics and virtual reality to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities.

Neurovascular Inflammation and Neurodegeneration Laboratory

Principal Investigator
James Haorah

Examining the underlying molecular, biochemical, and cellular mechanisms of damage to the blood-brain barrier and neurovascular units during substance abuse, blast-wave brain injury or HIV infection.

STG Laboratory

Principal Investigators
Farzan Nadim, Jorge Golowasch, and Dirk Bucher

Uses both experimental and theoretical approaches to study the neurophysiology of a small central pattern generating circuit in lobsters and crabs, the stomatogastric ganglion (STG).

Fluid Locomotion Laboratory

Principal Investigator
Brooke Flammang

Uses a multidisciplinary approach, integrating comparative anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, hydrodynamics, and biologically inspired robotic devices to investigate the ways in which organisms interact with their environment and drive the evolutionary selection of morphology and function.

Neuroethology Laboratory

Principal Investigator
Eric S. Fortune

Uses methodologies that cross levels of biological organization from the computational consequences of transmembrane molecules to the behavior of multispecies flocks.

Swarm Lab

Principal Investigator
Simon Garnier

An interdisciplinary research lab that studies the mechanisms underlying the coordination of large animal groups, such as ant colonies or human crowds, and their applications to complex problems such the organization of pedestrian traffic or the control of robotic swarms.

Golowasch Lab

Principal Investigator
Jorge P. Golowasch

The goal of this lab is to understand the mechanisms that allow the nervous system to be simultaneously plastic (and responsive to environmental and internal changes), and also to be stable.

Haspel Lab

Principal Investigator
Gal Haspel

Studies the neurobiology of locomotion in the nematode C. elegans. Our focus is at the levels from neuronal network to behavior and we have projects that address the connectivity, activity, and recovery from injury, of the locomotion network.

Neural Engineering for Speech and Hearing (NESH) Laboratory

Director
Antje Ihlefeld

Examines how the brain processes sound through psychophysical, physiological and computational modeling experiments.

Keck Center for Topological Dynamics

Director
Camelia Prodan

The Horax BioDatanamics Laboratory

Principal Investigator
Horacio G. Rotstein

Researching the understanding of the mechanisms of generation of neuronal rhythmic oscillations in various areas of the brain (e.g., hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, prefrontal cortex, striatum, olfactory bulb) and how this results from the cooperative activity of the dynamic and biophysical properties of the participating neurons, the synaptic connectivity, and the network topology.

Contact Info

rs789@njit.edu

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