Affiliated with Université Laval & CERVO Research Centre

Techniques and approaches

Photonics approaches to understanding the brain and nervous system in Yves De Koninck's laboratory

Our research focuses on the physiological, pharmacological and anatomical bases of synaptic transmission, with a particular emphasis on cellular substrates of pathological conditions in the Central Nervous System (CNS). 

We use a wide array of approaches, including:

  • electrophysiological recording in vivo (micro-optrodes) and in vitro (patch clamp in slices)
  • multiphoton and other non-linear imaging techniques
  • time-resolved fluorescence microscopy
  • in vivo optogenetics
  • tissue-based biochemical analysis
  • neural tracing and immunocytochemistry
  • computational approaches.  

The lab is also actively involved in the development of novel photonics techniques, including

  • fluctuation analysis of fluorescent signals
  • fibre optic-based probe development
  • novel microscopy techniques
  • neural modeling approaches