15 workshops and tutorials were offered by partner organisations and commercial partners to foster individual contacts. These events were meant to give useful information, especially for young scientists, or to discuss technical advances in various fields of neuroscience, with the emphasis on techniques, not on scientific results. The workshops were live events only.
Workshop - W1
Transparency in animal research - from best practice examples to a formal transparency agreement (W1)
organized by: Tierversuche verstehen - Informationsinitiative der Wissenschaft
Speakers
Stefan Treue (Göttingen) and Roman Stilling (Münster)
Monday, March 22, 2021, 17:00 – 18:00h
The trend towards more openness and transparency in animal-based research gaining momentum from the widespread experience that keeping out of the public discussion about this topic leads to a lack of fact-based information and expertise in the public debate that is filled by radical opponents to animal use in research.
Several initiatives and individual research institutions world-wide now offer best-practice examples for proactive communication of the “what, why and how” of animal use in research. Together, the shared experiences of these activities demonstrate that such engagement is beneficial for (i) public literacy and understanding of animal-based research, (ii) a more openminded and factual public debate and (iii) opportunities for the scientific community to engage in political discussions on the regulatory frameworks of biomedical research. Another insight from this experience is that more formal agreements between institutions are required to enhance widespread engagement by scientists and their institutions.
In this workshop we will highlight best practice examples of proactive communication about animal-based research as well as recent developments in the implementation of formal transparency agreements across Europe and in Germany.
Workshop - W2
Breakthrough technologies for non-invasive, high throughput, home cage research of rodent behaviors and ultrasonic vocalizations
organized by: Metris B.V.
The workshop will consist of two crisp presentations of 30mins each with opportunities for interaction and Q&A.
Speakers
Corticostriatal circuit and microglia defects in Hoxb8 mouse model of repetitive behaviors
Naveen Nagarajan - Capecchi Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah (USA)
High Throughput Behavioral Phenotyping in Three Mouse Models of Down syndrome: The Sample Size Versus Time Dilemma
Faycal Guedj - Co-Director Prenatal Genomic & Therapy Research section, NIH - Intramural Research Program (USA)
Tuesday, March 23, 2021, 17:00 – 18:00h
Workshop - W3
How to publish in neuroscience journals?
organized by: German Neuroscience Society
Speaker
Ansgar Büschges (Köln)
Tuesday, March 23, 2021, 18:00 – 19:00h
What to expect
This workshop gives insights into the complex process of publication. It starts with advices on manuscript preparation, discusses the review process and how to adequately respond to the comments of the reviewers and editors. It is also discussed what happens behind the scene of the editorial office.
Ansgar Büschges is Associate Editor of The Journal of Neurophysiology (APS), Editor of Biological Cybernetics (Springer) and Member of the Advisory Board of The Journal of Comparative Physiology A (Springer).
Topics
- Purpose of scientific publishing
- Key elements of a scientific manuscript
- The review process
- Revisions and response to reviewers
- The rebuttal letter
Workshop - W4
Starting your research career – DFG funding programs and application procedures -
organized by: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - DFG
Speakers
Stephanie Wegener (Bonn) and Laura Stappert (Bonn)
After the workshop appointments for individual consultations are available on Monday, March 29, 2021. The link for scheduling an interview will be shared during the workshop.
Wednesday, March 24, 2021, 16:00 – 17:00h
Workshop - W5
The UltraMicroscope Blaze™ — Imaging of whole brain at subcellular resolution
organized by: Miltenyi Biotec
Speakers
Christine Ahlert, Hussein Hamzeh and Uwe Schröer (Miltenyi Biotec, Bergisch Gladbach)
Wednesday, March 24, 2021, 17:00 – 18:00h
What to expect
The lack of technologies that can do large-scale imaging at high resolution remains a major obstacle for deciphering the structural complexity of the central and peripheral nervous system. In this workshop we introduce the UltraMicroscope Blaze which addresses these challenges. This new and automated light sheet microscope enables imaging of multiple organs such as whole brains or large samples like a whole cleared mouse. With cutting-edge light sheet optics the system bridges the gap between high-resolution imaging of tissue sections and large-scale imaging of whole animals. This allows the microscope to operate as a virtual microtome that can visualize large samples in three dimensions with subcellular resolution.
Christine Ahlert - Application Specialist
Hussein Hamzeh - Microscopy Product Manager
Uwe Schröer - Senior Product Manager
Tutorial - W6
New solutions in the field of NIR imaging & digitization of large tissue sections from OLYMPUS
organized by: Olympus Deutschland
Wednesday, March 24, 2021, 18:00 – 19:00h
Tutorial - W7
15 years of optogenetics: The development of the techniques that drive neuroscience today
organized by: Scientifica
Speaker
Dr. Christian Wilms (Scientifica Ltd)
Thursday, March 25, 2021, 16:00 – 17:00h
What to expect
In this tutorial, we will present an introduction to the development of tools for photostimulation using optogenetics. Particular attention will be given to sequential stimulation of multiple cells, as well as the use of holographic methods to achieve simultaneous activation of dozens to hundreds of neurons in deeper tissue using two-photon excitation.
"Optogenetics” is the use of genetically encoded probes to control different aspects of a cell's physiology with light. This can mean changing the membrane potential as well as activating or inactivating numerous cellular processes. Most commonly, opsin proteins are used to influence the spiking of neurons by light flashes.
When the term "optogenetics" was first coined at the SfN Annual Meeting in 2006, opsins were generally activated non-specifically by exposing larger areas of tissue to light - either by illuminating the full field of view of a microscope, or by implanting optical fibres into an animal’s skull. The only way to achieve specificity was to target genetically defined cell populations, or by using single cell electroporation.
In the past 15 years, there have been drastic improvements in the specificity of optogenetic manipulation of physiology: More sophisticated genetic tools allow expression of opsins to be targeted to cells based on their previous activity, based on axonal projection patterns, and even to subcellular structures. In parallel, the tools for applying photostimulation have also evolved. Today, it is routinely possible to target single, identified cells in culture and slices but also deep in intact brains.
Tutorial - W8
Single Cell Manipulation - New and classical approaches: an overview of what is possible today - from single cell microperfusion to classical electroporation and transfection
organized by: npi electronic
Speakers
Jens Looser & Bernd Polder (Tamm), Matija Rojnik (Mölndal, Sweden), Carsten Hoffmann (Jena) and Christine Gee (Hamburg-Eppendorf)
Thursday, March 25, 2021, 17:00 – 18:00h
Tutorial - W9
Light Sheet Imaging of large cleared samples – from whole mouse to subcellular resolution
organized by: Bruker Fluorescence Microscopy
Speakers
Malte Wachsmuth and Jürgen Mayer (Luxendo GmbH, Heidelberg, part of Bruker)
Friday, March 26, 2021, 16:00 – 16:30h
What to expect
The use and potential for cleared tissue imaging in neuroscience is vast. Possibilities range from depiction of entire nervous systems in organisms, to characterization of individual synaptic sites. Here, we demonstrate our latest light sheet technologies for imaging cleared samples acknowledging different scientific requirements.
Tutorial - W10
Morphology Driven High-Plex Spatial Analysis of Tissue Microenvironments
organized by: NanoString Technologies
Speaker
Tony Zucca (Technical Sales Specialist, NanoString Technologies, Munich)
Friday, March 26, 2021, 16:30 – 17:00h
What to expect
NanoString is a global leader in spatial gene expression. With the launch of the GeoMx® Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP) researchers now have the ability to view morphology of their tissue and define exactly where they want to detect changes in gene expression for whole transcriptome RNA or up to 100+ proteins. The GeoMx® platform comfortably works with both FF or FFPE tissue in both human and mouse. The recently launched Whole Transcriptome Atlas (WTA) provides full coverage spatial profiling of any target in any tissue. This high-plex spatial analysis of RNA technique has been selected Nature’s Method of the Year for 2020 and allows neuroscientists to decipher the intricacy of neurological diseases by full transcriptome in situ analysis. This talk will highlight the technology behind the GeoMx® with a focus on various test cases to visualize high impact research applications for anyone who is investigating the causes of neurodegenerative diseases and developing novel methods for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Tutorial - W12
Atomic Force Microscopy – A powerful toolkit for the nanoscopic investigation of mechanics, structures, and dynamic processes in the life sciences
organized by: Bruker BioAFM
Join us for a demo, live from our labs in Berlin.
Speaker
Dr. André Koernig
Monday, March 29, 2021, 16:00 – 16:30h
What to expect
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) has emerged as a powerful tool for life science research. The ability to study a wide range of biological samples, ranging from individual biomolecules to mammalian cells and tissues, under near-physiological conditions remains unmatched by other imaging techniques.
The capability to investigate nano-mechanical properties of cells and tissues, while simultaneously allowing a full integration of the AFM into advanced optical light microscopy is gaining importance in different fields of biology, e.g. developmental and molecular biology, and cancer research.
We will present examples of how we are able to resolve the nanoscale structure of individual biomolecules at high-speed scan rates (150 Hz), follow the dynamic reorganization of the membrane-associated cytoskeleton of living cells at high-temporal and high-spatial resolution, and automatically map the topography of cell cultures across the entire area of the microscope stage.
A live experimental session will demonstrate how easy it is to setup experiments and study the nano-mechanical properties and molecular interactions of biological samples using state-of-the-art BioAFM.
Tutorial - W13
Veneto(TM) Inverted Microscopy Platform
organized by: Thorlabs
Speaker
Andreas Babaryka (Thorlabs, Imaging Systems Sales)
Monday, March 29, 2021, 16:30 – 17:00h
What to expect
A tutorial of Thorlabs' Veneto™ Inverted Microscopy Platform, given by Thorlabs' sales and applications experts, as part of the 14th Göttingen Meeting of the German Neuroscience Society. Designed to meet the needs of labs working in cell biology and other life science applications, Veneto provides a turnkey solution for widefield, confocal, and multiphoton imaging.
Tutorial - W14
Microscopic Insights from Deep Inside the Sample. How to get there?
organized by: Bruker FM
Speaker
Dr. Clemens Schneider (Sales product Specialist FM EEMEA)
Monday, March 29, 2021, 17:00 – 18:00h
What to expect
Modern fluorescence microscopy applications need to be done in environments that are as close as possible to the natural environments of the structures of interests. This requirement makes it necessary to use large samples, like tissue slices or even whole model organisms, instead of the classical cell cultures. One of the main limitations of standard fluorescence microscopes is their weak ability to image structures in great depth of the sample.
Bruker Fluorescence Microscopes are designed to overcome this limitation. The extra-large field of view of the Ultima 2Pplus multiphoton microscope system with the Neuralight 3D spatial light modulation unit for deep imaging and optogenetic applications is the ideal tool for the whole range of neurobiological applications from InVitro preparations to InVivo imaging in awake animals.
If you are more interested in seeing the very details of your sample, like the distribution of pre- and postsynaptic proteins or the cytoskeleton architecture, then our Vutara VXL superresolution microscope system is your preferred choice. With its widefield illumination and the biplane technology for 3D acquisition of single molecule localization microscopy data, it is your choice for acquiring data deep in your sample in 3D with a resolution better than 20 nm xy and 50 nm z.
This workshop will be divided into two parts: The first half will focus on the Ultima 2Pplus multiphoton microscope system. In the second half, we will present the features and applications of the Vutara VXL superresolution system.
Workshop - W15
How to quickly and precisely perform rodent surgery experiments?
organized by: RWD Life Science
Speaker
Steven Peng (RWD Life Science)
Tuesday, March 30, 2021, 16:00 – 17:00h
What to expect
Animal Model is widely used in neuroscience research, animal surgery is the basic experiments for most researchers. RWD as the world leading manufacturer of lab solution for animal experiments, like the stereotaxic instrument, anesthesia system, animal heating, syringe pump and model development. Here we would like to offer a useful practice experiments and guidence by sharing our experinece with you. Welcome join us!
Workshop - W16
Sharing Data - Connecting Research - Pooling Brains: How we can uplift collaboration in neuroscience
organized by: Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience and NFDI-Neuro
Tuesday, March 30, 2021, 17:00 – 18:00h
What to expect
One channel - two parallel sessions.
Join the Bernstein Networksession to learn more about our newest initiative the Bernstein Smart Steps- Featuring early career scientists, the upcoming Bernstein Conference and call for nominations for the Valentin Braitenberg Award 2021.
Join the NFDI-Neuro session to learn about efficient data management and processing tools for neuroscience data and our new webinar series. Bring your specific challenges in managing, analyzing and sharing your data to the booth and we will discuss them in the context of currently available and emerging technologies.