Lectures and seminars Frontiers in Neural Circuits seminar series: with Moritz Helmstaedter
Title: "Cerebral Cortex Connectomics". October 28 at 11:00 in room Ragnar Granit, Biomedicum.
Welcome all members of Karolinska Institutet, as well as researchers and trainees from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University, and other universities in the Stockholm region. We warmly encourage students, postdocs, and faculty to attend and engage with our distinguished guest.
Speaker:
Moritz Helmstaedter, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt, Germany.
Time: 28 October, 11:00–11:00
Location: Ragnar Granit lecture hall, Biomedicum (level 3)
Title: Cerebral Cortex Connectomics
Abstract
The comprehensive mapping of neuronal networks is one of the main challenges in neuroscience. Only with the knowledge of synaptic wiring diagrams is it possible to understand the computational capacities of neuronal networks, especially in the mammalian cerebral cortex. Our methods for dense circuit mapping are based on 3-dimensional electron microscopy (EM) imaging of tissue, which allows imaging nerve tissue at nanometer-scale resolution across substantial volumes, extending to more than one millimeter on the side, followed by AI-based image analysis to obtain dense connectivity maps, or connectomes. With these we have mapped local circuitry in mouse and human cortex, determining learning-related synaptic traces, inhibitory axonal development, and discovering an expanded interneuron-to-interneuron network in the human cortex. Recently, we completed the connectomic reconstruction of a cortical column, uncovering a parallel, inhibition-dominated canonical cortical circuit. We are currently screening cortical connectomes across age, disease states and experience to obtain a deeper understanding of their relevance for individual behavioral performance and brain pathology.
Recent publications
Connectomic analysis of astrocyte-synapse interactions in the cerebral cortex.
Yener, Y, Motta, A, Helmstaedter M (2025)
bioRxiv 10.1101/2025.02.20.639274
Connectomic reconstruction of a cortical column.
Sievers M, Motta A, Schmidt M, Yener Y, Loomba S, Song K, Bruett J, Helmstaedter M (2024)
bioRxiv 10.1101/2024.03.22.586254
RoboEM: automated 3D flight tracing for synaptic-resolution connectomics.
Schmidt M, Motta A, Sievers M, Helmstaedter M
Nat Methods 2024 May;21(5):908-913
High-contrast en bloc staining of mouse whole-brain and human brain samples for EM-based connectomics.
Song K, Feng Z, Helmstaedter M
Nat Methods 2023 Jun;20(6):836-840
Refreshments
Sandwiches and coffee will be provided.
Registration
No registration is needed.