trying to introduce the study of the brain to a bunch of students I said if
brain to a bunch of students I said if
brain to a bunch of students I said if understanding everything you needed to
understanding everything you needed to
understanding everything you needed to know about the brain is a mile I asked
know about the brain is a mile I asked
know about the brain is a mile I asked the students how far had we walked in
the students how far had we walked in
the students how far had we walked in the smile I got answers three-quarters
the smile I got answers three-quarters
the smile I got answers three-quarters of a mile half a mile something set a
of a mile half a mile something set a
of a mile half a mile something set a quarter a mile and I said I think about
quarter a mile and I said I think about
quarter a mile and I said I think about three inches this is unconventional
three inches this is unconventional
three inches this is unconventional science it’s just this huge gap in our
science it’s just this huge gap in our
science it’s just this huge gap in our knowledge about how brains work largely
knowledge about how brains work largely
knowledge about how brains work largely because we have no idea what they
because we have no idea what they
because we have no idea what they actually are made up of at the finest
actually are made up of at the finest
actually are made up of at the finest level when it comes to the nervous
level when it comes to the nervous
level when it comes to the nervous system there are a large number of
system there are a large number of
system there are a large number of diseases where the only real sign that
diseases where the only real sign that
diseases where the only real sign that there’s something wrong is the outward
there’s something wrong is the outward
there’s something wrong is the outward manifestation of the disease person is
manifestation of the disease person is
manifestation of the disease person is acting crazy or they don’t seem to learn
acting crazy or they don’t seem to learn
acting crazy or they don’t seem to learn very well or their movements are
very well or their movements are
very well or their movements are disordered in some way but if you look
disordered in some way but if you look
disordered in some way but if you look at their brain most of the techniques we
at their brain most of the techniques we
at their brain most of the techniques we have there’s nothing to see you’ve got
have there’s nothing to see you’ve got
have there’s nothing to see you’ve got to see the wires just have to see them
to see the wires just have to see them
to see the wires just have to see them and you have to see where they come from
and you have to see where they come from
and you have to see where they come from where they go what they connect with and
where they go what they connect with and
where they go what they connect with and be able to map that out in enough detail
be able to map that out in enough detail
be able to map that out in enough detail that ultimately you will be able to
that ultimately you will be able to
that ultimately you will be able to render the information that goes into a
render the information that goes into a
render the information that goes into a brain to see the wiring diagram at the
brain to see the wiring diagram at the
brain to see the wiring diagram at the resolution of every single synaptic
resolution of every single synaptic
resolution of every single synaptic vesicle and every synapse enough
vesicle and every synapse enough
vesicle and every synapse enough resolution we need to see everything
I’m a lab head of a group of people who
I’m a lab head of a group of people who work together it’s kind of a shifting
work together it’s kind of a shifting
work together it’s kind of a shifting group of people but it’s difficult work
group of people but it’s difficult work
group of people but it’s difficult work and it requires many kinds of experts so
and it requires many kinds of experts so
and it requires many kinds of experts so there are lots of people working
there are lots of people working
there are lots of people working together on this project what we’re
together on this project what we’re
together on this project what we’re trying to understand is how cells in the
trying to understand is how cells in the
trying to understand is how cells in the brain communicate with each other
I have to look at the entire pipeline
I have to look at the entire pipeline from the beginning where we start with
from the beginning where we start with
from the beginning where we start with the mouth make a sample process the
the mouth make a sample process the
the mouth make a sample process the tissue cut sections and then ultimately
tissue cut sections and then ultimately
tissue cut sections and then ultimately begin imaging
slice is like you’re cutting a loaf of
slice is like you’re cutting a loaf of bread except you’re trying to slice very
bread except you’re trying to slice very
bread except you’re trying to slice very thin pieces of tissue so for a
thin pieces of tissue so for a
thin pieces of tissue so for a millimeter depth you get about 33,000
millimeter depth you get about 33,000
millimeter depth you get about 33,000 sections
each section of the brain is next to the
each section of the brain is next to the section that was sliced just before it
section that was sliced just before it
section that was sliced just before it and the slice right after it is the next
and the slice right after it is the next
and the slice right after it is the next frame if you play these frames in
frame if you play these frames in
frame if you play these frames in sequence you see the brain not over time
sequence you see the brain not over time
sequence you see the brain not over time but over space as if you’re looking
but over space as if you’re looking
but over space as if you’re looking deeper and deeper into the brain the big
deeper and deeper into the brain the big
deeper and deeper into the brain the big objects you see that appear and then
objects you see that appear and then
objects you see that appear and then slowly get out of appearance those are
slowly get out of appearance those are
slowly get out of appearance those are nerve cells that are being cut through
nerve cells that are being cut through
nerve cells that are being cut through and coming off of these cells are these
and coming off of these cells are these
and coming off of these cells are these large light colored objects which are
large light colored objects which are
large light colored objects which are the dendrites every little object in
the dendrites every little object in
the dendrites every little object in here is a little wire to keep track of
here is a little wire to keep track of
here is a little wire to keep track of these cells from one section to another
these cells from one section to another
these cells from one section to another what you’d like to do is kind of color
what you’d like to do is kind of color
what you’d like to do is kind of color than a min so every one of these colors
than a min so every one of these colors
than a min so every one of these colors have no meaning other than to keep track
have no meaning other than to keep track
have no meaning other than to keep track of each object from section to section
of each object from section to section
of each object from section to section what this allows us to do is to generate
what this allows us to do is to generate
what this allows us to do is to generate a wiring diagram based on this we now
a wiring diagram based on this we now
a wiring diagram based on this we now know everything about these wires here
know everything about these wires here
know everything about these wires here and from that we can generate all the
and from that we can generate all the
and from that we can generate all the connections of every cell in that area
connections of every cell in that area
connections of every cell in that area information forces you into this
information forces you into this
information forces you into this uncomfortable position where you have to
uncomfortable position where you have to
uncomfortable position where you have to kind of say okay I don’t get it but I
kind of say okay I don’t get it but I
kind of say okay I don’t get it but I know that the real world is more
know that the real world is more
know that the real world is more complicated than the way I’m thinking
complicated than the way I’m thinking
complicated than the way I’m thinking about it I feel it’s a very long road
about it I feel it’s a very long road
about it I feel it’s a very long road and we’ve just started that’s my view
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