Neuroimaging and Neurobiology

State-of-the-art advanced imaging platform, custom-built microscopes, and advanced 3D histology

Leading the future of neuroscience discovery

Combining the expertise of a multidisciplinary team, including scientists, engineers, and neurobiologists, we are developing new technologies, cell-targeted gene therapies, coupled with implantable, bio-compatible optoelectronic devices.

Our expertise includes:

Molecular biology, histology, genetic engineering, cell culture (BSL1 and BSL2) contributing to our expansion into the field of neurobiology.
Adanced microscopy-imaging.
Brain mapping: tissue processing, 3D multiplexlabeling, hardware, computational analysis and image processing.

3D Tissue profiling and Spatial Biology

Our team is developing cutting-edge tissue profiling techniques to map the molecular and cellular landscapes of the brain. By characterizing both healthy and diseased states, we aim to predict disease evolution and deepen our understanding of neurological conditions.

To achieve this, we are advancing tissue processing pipelines that preserve spatial context and enhance resolution. These include:

Whole-organ clearing and labeling to maintain tissue integrity, uncover neuronal connections, and reveal intricate vascular networks and rare cell populations.
Multiplexed and multi-omics RNA and protein staining for comprehensive molecular profiling.
Tissue expansion microscopy to achieve higher spatial resolution, enabling the visualization of fine subcellular structures.

We are also developing sophisticated image processing pipelines to handle large-scale datasets, ensuring efficient analysis and extraction of meaningful insights from high-resolution imaging data.

ALICe, our Advanced Lightsheet Imaging Center

Lightsheet microscopes can reveal the 3D anatomy of entire small organs. They image brain tissue down to individual neurons and offer unprecedented maps of nervous system structure and function. ALICe, the Advanced Lightsheet Imaging Center, integrates a series of innovative fluorescence microscopy tools in a single pipeline to image whole organs with custom-built microscopes at high spatial and temporal resolution.

The multidisciplinary ALICe team unites expertise from physics, cell biology, neuroscience and engineering, and joins forces with research teams around the world to image and draw insights into the central and peripheral nervous systems, innervation of organs including the brain and heart as well as human brain samples. Another focus area is brain and spinal cord organization for researchers working to restore movement after paralysis or to investigate neuronal networks involved in cognition, pleasure and drug addiction.

Unlike traditional microscopy in which specimens are cut in slices with a blade before being viewed on a slide under a microscope, lightsheet microscopes optically slice samples with a sheet of light. This optical sectioning captures slivers of image without damaging the sample. The images are then combined to reconstruct a detailed three-dimensional image of a whole organ or specimen.

The ALICe pipeline

Seeing the invisible

Whole CNS lightsheet imaging of motor circuit and 3D surface rendering (Asboth et al. 2018). Courtine Lab, EPFL

“Recent advances in microscopy have propelled neurosciences into the era of connectomics, now allowing us to study single neurons with their synaptic connections in the whole brain.”

Anthony Holtmaat

Professor, University of Geneva

“The work at ALICe allowed us to reveal the distribution and anatomy of sensory receptors with unprecedented resolution and specificity. I was stunned by the quality of the images.”

Daniel Huber

Professor, University of Geneva

“Never before have we been able to visualize and quantify, in-depth, neuronal populations within the entire brain as we can now.”

Marianne Fyhn

Professor, University of Oslo

Available resources

https://wysscenter.ch/wp-content/uploads/neuroimagery-contact.png

Contact us for collaborations!

Our technological innovations are driven by strong collaborations with both academic and industry partners. We actively seek new collaborations to push the boundaries of neuroscience, advance our techniques, hardware and software. Reach out to our neuroimaging and neurobiology team for more information.

Partners

mesoSPIM

University of Geneva

EPFL

Paris Brain Institute, ICM

Institut de la Vision

University of Zürich

ETH Zürich

HEPIA

Dotphoton

A section of human cerebellum from the Lamylab at the University of Geneva imaged with the Wyss Center’s mesoSPIM lightsheet microscope. The image shows blood vessels labelled with the marker lectin. Blood supplies energy to the brain and is known to be disregulated in some diseases. Imaging brain vasculature with advanced microscopes helps drive research into neurodegenerative diseases and stroke. Credit: Tomàs Jordà – Lamylab, University of Geneva – Human Brain Mapping project

3D image of intestinal villi. Villi are controlled by the enteric nervous system (ENS) our gut’s own little brain. The team is using the three-dimensional microscopic imaging of the intestinal wall to better understand the involvement of enteric neurons in gut function and their connection with the brain. Image acquired with Clarity Optimised Lightsheet Microscope. Gut section cleared with iDisco+ protocol. Data are processed with a depth coding algorithm – the color represents the depth of the 3D image.

This image of virally labelled neurons in the brain helps reveal the cellular connectivity between the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. These two regions are involved in memory processing and play a crucial role in the study of neurodegenerative disorders. Image courtesy of Noémie Mazaré, Giovanni Carriero, Roberta de Ceglia, Laura Solanelles, Bilian Xiong, Prof. Ludovic Telley and Prof. Andrea Volterra at the University of Lausanne.

Brain wide labelling of glutamatergic projection neurons – Courtine Lab, EPFL

Thy1 GFP, mouse – Holtmaat Lab, University of Geneva

Fluorescent interneurons in a whole brain – Fhyn Lab, University of Oslo