応募書類の受付は4月26日13時に締め切りました。
書類の受諾状況は、5月中旬頃に応募者登録サイトに表示されます。
"Application forms were closed at 13:00 on 26 April.
The acceptance status of documents will be displayed on the registration website around mid-May."
Role of astrocytes—the unsung hero of the brain—in neuronal circuits
While brains are generally associated with neurons, as much as half of the brain consists of non-neuronal cells called 'astrocytes'. Astrocytes have long been considered merely supporting cells of neurons, providing them with an optimal environment to function properly. Recent research, however, has shown that astrocytic activity is necessary for important brain functions such as learning and memory. Understanding the physiology of astrocytes is therefore considered an urgent mission, yet the progress is hindered by the intricate and complex morphology of astrocytic processes which cannot be resolved by conventional light microscopy. Taking advantage of so-called 'super-resolution microscopy', which can achieve resolution beyond that of conventional light microscopy, I have revealed the morpho-function of astrocytic processes. In the Hakubi project, I will decipher how the properties of these astrocytic processes determine the nature of neural circuits. In this seminar, I will introduce past and future of my project.