{"686221":{"#nid":"686221","#data":{"type":"event","title":"PhD Defense by Alexander Calhoun","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAlexander Calhoun\u003Cbr\u003EBME PhD Defense Presentation\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDate: 2025-11-12\u003Cbr\u003ETime: 2:00 pm\u003Cbr\u003ELocation \/ Meeting Link: EBB CHOA Seminar Room; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/3505476534\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/3505476534\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECommittee Members:\u003Cbr\u003EHang Lu, PhD (Advisor); Robert Butera, PhD (Co-advisor); Gordon Berman, PhD; Shu Jia, PhD; Patrick McGrath, PhD; Astrid Prinz, PhD\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ETitle: Light-sheet microscopy and software tools for functional imaging of the C. elegans nervous system\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAbstract:\u003Cbr\u003EFunctional fluorescence imaging of small, transparent organisms like C. elegans has proven to be a powerful tool for understanding the development and function of intact nervous systems at the cellular level. This approach can provide a detailed view of how sensory information is detected, encoded, and integrated to drive behavior, particularly when combined with microfluidic tools that enable precise manipulation of sensory cues. Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy has a number of advantages for functional imaging, including efficient axial sectioning, reduced photobleaching, and capacity for high acquisition speed compared to confocal methods. However, many light-sheet microscope configurations with properties ideal for functional imaging geometrically limit sample access in a way that precludes use with microfluidics. In this thesis work, I designed and constructed an open-top light-sheet microscope that uses simplified inverted water immersion coupled with tunable lens remote focusing under model predictive control to achieve high-speed, multichannel 3D imaging of specimens in conventional microfluidics. I also developed a new actor-based software approach for user-responsive system control and image processing tools for tracking the worm body surface during movement and deformation. With this system, we recorded calcium activity from C. elegans neurons at camera-limited volume rates up to 20 Hz, observed whole-brain response to chemical stimulation at single-cell resolution, and discovered new evidence of compartmentalized dendritic response of the PVD neuron to harsh-touch mechanical stimulation.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELight-sheet microscopy and software tools for functional imaging of the C. elegans nervous system\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Light-sheet microscopy and software tools for functional imaging of the C. elegans nervous system"}],"uid":"27707","created_gmt":"2025-11-05 19:10:46","changed_gmt":"2025-11-05 19:10:46","author":"Tatianna Richardson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-11-12T14:00:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2025-11-12T16:00:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-11-12T16:00:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-11-12 19:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-11-12 21:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-11-12 21:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"EBB CHOA Seminar Room","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"221981","name":"Graduate Studies"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"100811","name":"Phd Defense"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1788","name":"Other\/Miscellaneous"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78771","name":"Public"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}