Stanford
Deisseroth Lab

Training Workshops

We offer training workshops via Zoom or onsite to support students, postdocs, and early-career PIs in their research and troubleshooting efforts. These online workshops focus on the following techniques: optogenetics and fiber photometry. Details on the workshop format for each technique are listed below. 

REGISTRATION INFORMATION 

Workshops will be scheduled based on demand with an effort to maintain small training groups for a personal experience. For information contact Dr. Maisie Lo: maisielo@stanford.edu To register for a workshop or ask further questions, please email the education manager above with the following information: 

• Your name 

• Your institution 

• Your position (graduate student, postdoc, etc.) 

• Your PI’s name (if applicable) 

• Which workshop(s) you would like to attend 

• If applicable, please also indicate if you receive financial support through NeuroNex or NIDA

OEG Widefield Microscopy Workshop

The Deisseroth Lab is offering a workshop on Optoencephalography (OEG), a widefield macroscopy technique used to measure the dynamics of biological processes across the dorsal cortex in animal models.

Hosted by members of the Quirin and Deisseroth Labs, this workshop will feature a series of remote training sessions (with optional in-person components) introducing the OEG technique. Sessions will cover preparation, data acquisition, and analysis from representative samples.

Remote sessions will be held via Zoom and scheduled in Pacific Standard Time. In-person sessions will take place on Stanford campus. The complete workshop spans five days, with daily sessions lasting 1–2 hours. Training formats will include interactive presentations, recorded demonstrations, hands-on exercises, and Q&A discussions with lab experts. This workshop is free for trainees, graduate students, and postdocs, and is ideal for those interested in incorporating this technique into their neuroscience research. 

Sample Schedule:

•         Day 1: Introduction to Theory & Widefield Imaging

•         Day 2: Clear Skull Cranial Surgery

•         Day 3: Calcium Imaging & OEG Microscope Construction

•         Day 4: Data Analysis / Python Programming

•         Day 5: Participant Presentations

References:

Allen WE*, Kauvar IV*, Chen MZ, Richman EB, Yang SJ, Chan K, Gradinaru V, Deverman BE, Luo L, Deisseroth K. Global representations of goal-directed behavior in distinct cell types of mouse neocortex. Neuron. 2017

Vesuna S*, Kauvar IV*, Richman E, Gore F, Oskotsky T, Sava-Segal C, Luo L, Malenka RC, Henderson JM, Nuyujukian P, Parvizi J, Deisseroth K. Deep posteromedial cortical rhythm in dissociation. Nature. 2020.

Machado TA*, Kauvar IV*, Deisseroth K. Multiregion neuronal activity: the forest and the trees. Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 2022.

Remote training workshops

The remote training workshops will be facilitated over Zoom and scheduled according to the Pacific Standard Time zone. Each workshop will be about a week long, with daily online training sessions lasting roughly 1-3 hours. Training sessions will contain a variety of formats including interactive presentations, live and recorded video demonstrations, and Q&A feedback discussions with lab experts. All workshops are provided at no cost to the participants. Previews of the content and schedule for each training workshop are outlined below:

Optogenetics Remote Workshop: 6-7 days, 1-2 hours per day

Fiber Photometry Remote Workshop: 6-7 days, 1-2 hours per day

Optogenetics Training

The Optogenetics Innovation Laboratory (OIL) offers a number of hands-on courses at different levels of detail. Graduate students, Stanford researchers, and those willing to travel to take a class are welcome to select from the courses below.

For more information, please contact the Laboratory and Education Manager: Dr. Maisie Lo, Ph.D. (maisielo@stanford.edu). Space is limited, so individuals wishing to participate in a workshop should contact Dr. Lo directly for training registration.

1) 3-day workshop (offered throughout the year)

Topics covered:

  1. Stereotactic cannula implantation
  2. Optical stimulation for behavior testing
  3. Optical stimulation for electrical recording

2) 3-week summer workshop (for researchers with a more flexible time schedule)

Topics covered:

  1. Production of recombinant lentivectors for optogenetic gene delivery in mammals
  2. Stereotactic injection and cannula implantation
  3. Optical stimulation for behavior testing
  4. Optical stimulation for electrical recording
  5. Confirmation of transgene expression

Possible topics include:

  • 6. Primary neuronal cell culturing
  • 7. Confocal microscopy
  • 8. Patch clamping

3) Graduate course (BIOE 291; for Stanford graduate students only)

Held in the Fall quarter. In-depth optogenetics class with lectures, group presentations, final project proposals and a hands-on lab component. For more information, see our Stanford course listing.