The Bosma Lab focuses primarily on characterizing electrical events in the developing brainstem (specifically the hindbrain and midbrain), using the mouse as a model.

With help from a fluorescent dye that binds to calcium (an ion implicated in neuronal firing), spontaneous, synchronized events can be seen in realtime under a fluorescence microscope, indicating the location and activity of neural circuitry.

Using this information, researchers in the Bosma lab have been able to pinpoint areas in the brain heavily implicated in brainstem development, and have begun to investigate the types of neurons that may drive spontaneous activity.

As the wealth of information being attained on the brain’s early neurophysiology continues to grow, the lab looks to further study how this type of activity affects normal development, while maintaining a focus on identifying the key players involved in the growing brain’s changing landscape.

For more information on work being done in the Bosma Lab, visit their website.