Backyard Brains: Bringing Neurophysiology Into Secondary Schools

后院大脑：将神经生理学引入中学

• 批准号: 8641417
• 负责人: Gregory John Gage
• 金额: $ 59.95万
• 依托单位: BACKYARD BRAINS, INC.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-04-15 至 2016-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8641417
• 关键词: Action Potentials; Address; Affect; Amplifiers; Animal Model; Award; Behavior; Biology; Brain; Communication; Complex; Computer software; Conceptions; Data Analyses; Devices; Dictyoptera; Discipline; Disease; Drosophila genus; Educational process of instructing; Electronics; Electrophysiology (science); Engineering; Environment; Equipment; Funding; Future; General Population; Genetic; Goals; Gryllidae; High School Faculty; Insecta; Invertebrates; Learning; Life; Light; Marketing; Mathematics; Medicine; Nervous System Physiology; Nervous system structure; Neurons; Neurosciences; Neurosciences Research; Outcome; Performance; Phase; Physicians; Physics; Population; Problem Solving; Process; Records Controls; Research; Sales; Schools; Science; Scientist; Secondary Schools; Site; Students; Teacher Professional Development; Technology; Testing; Training; Transgenic Organisms; Wireless Technology; Work; World Health Organization; college; commercialization; cost effective; design; digital; experience; field study; fly; high school; improved; interest; neurophysiology; neurotechnology; next generation; optogenetics; public health relevance; relating to nervous system; research study; response; teacher; tool

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Understanding the brain remains a great challenge both to professional neuroscientists and the general public alike. The nervous system is extremely complex, which is why neural diseases are notoriously widespread and difficult to treat. There are two main ways to solve this problem. One approach is to fund established scientists to research their particular field of study. An alternative way is to invest in the capabilities of future engineers, scientists, and physicians by providing educational science equipment and compelling experiments that teach principles of neuroscience using simple model organisms. A critical barrier to progress with this latter approach has been access to affordable tools and lesson plans. To address this need, we have developed in our Phase I the 1) "SpikerBox": a bio-amplifier that is easy-to-use, inexpensive (<$100), portable, and can detect and record the spiking activity (action potentials) of invertebrates such as crickets and cockroaches; and the 2) "RoboRoach": a wireless neural stimulator for investigating insect behavior. We have designed easy experiments using these pieces of equipment and have begun deploying them in beta high school test sites. In Phase II, we now aim to: 1. Enhance the learning materials and software to the degree that allows any high school biology teacher with little experience to teach neurophysiology experiments in the classroom 2. Commercialize and deploy the next generation RoboRoach and SpikerBox to allow for a greater versatility in experiments for high school classrooms 3. Commercialize and deploy our "OptoGenetics Rig," which is a fully portably miniature electrophysiology apparatus enabling optogenetic experiments in fruit flies in high school classrooms As neuroscience is a multi-disciplinary field encompassing biology, medicine, mathematics, and engineering, our "SpikerBox", "RoboRoach", and "Optogenetic" kits with their associated learning materials may have the effect of improving performance in STEM-related disciplines and inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers. !

描述（由申请人提供）：了解大脑对于专业神经科学家和普通公众来说仍然是一个巨大的挑战。神经系统极其复杂，这就是为什么神经疾病普遍存在且难以治疗的原因。解决这个问题有两种主要方法。一种方法是资助知名科学家研究他们的特定研究领域。另一种方法是通过提供教育科学设备和引人注目的实验来投资未来工程师、科学家和医生的能力，这些实验使用简单的模型生物体教授神经科学原理。后一种方法取得进展的一个关键障碍是获得负担得起的工具和课程计划。为了满足这一需求，我们在第一阶段开发了 1)“SpikerBox”：一种易于使用、价格低廉（<100 美元）、便携式的生物放大器，可以检测和记录尖峰活动（动作电位） ）无脊椎动物，如蟋蟀和蟑螂； 2）“RoboRoach”：用于研究昆虫行为的无线神经刺激器。我们使用这些设备设计了简单的实验，并开始在高中测试站点部署它们。在第二阶段，我们现在的目标是： 1. 增强学习材料和软件，使任何缺乏经验的高中生物教师都能在课堂上教授神经生理学实验 2. 商业化并部署下一代 RoboRoach 和 SpikerBox，以允许任何缺乏经验的高中生物教师在课堂上教授神经生理学实验。为高中教室的实验提供更大的多功能性 3. 商业化并部署我们的“OptoGenetics Rig”，这是一种完全便携式的微型电生理学仪器，可在高中教室的果蝇中进行光遗传学实验由于神经科学是一个涵盖生物学、医学、数学和工程学的多学科领域，我们的“SpikerBox”、“RoboRoach”和“Optogenic”套件及其相关学习材料可能会提高 STEM 相关学科的表现和激励下一代科学家和工程师。 ！