Nobel discovery helps explain cause and effect in the brain
“Optogenetics is a revolutionary technique that allows us to study the brain in an entirely new way,” says Linda Engström Ruud, associate professor of physiology at the University of Gothenburg, whose research uses the technology recognised by this year’s Nobel Prize.
Optogenetics is used primarily in neuroscience and brain research to map the brain’s neural circuits. The technique combines optics and genetics to control and monitor the activity of living cells using light.
Engström Ruud uses optogenetics in her own research to investigate how the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide affects the brain, appetite and body weight. These medicines are used, among other things, to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.
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