New Publication Alert: Advancing Neural Circuit Mapping Through Viral-genetic Tool Development

We are excited to share our latest research publication in Cell Reports Methods: “An AAV capsid proposed as microglia-targeting directs genetic expression in forebrain excitatory neurons” Read the full article here »

A newly developed capsid AAV-MG1.2 was reported to mediate specific microglial transduction. However, we find that AAV-MG1.2 actually enables specific genetic access to excitatory neurons in forebrain regions including hippocampal formation and visual cortex but does not confer expression in microglia or astrocytes in vivo. Furthermore, we find that AAV-MG1.2 specifically labels the deep layer of the CA1 pyramidal layer in a titer-dependent manner. We show that AAV-MG1.2-Cre can be used to genetically target excitatory neurons for cell-type-specific neural circuit mapping studies. We also find that AAV-MG1.2 conserves specificity for excitatory neurons in rat hippocampus. Thus, the AAV-MG1.2 presents a useful viral-genetic tool for targeting excitatory neurons in the forebrain across different species.

We’re proud of the contributions of our team and collaborators and look forward to the continued impact of this innovative approach on the neuroscience community.

5 Days Left! Register Now for the 2025 Conference: ‘The Changing Brain’ – Deadline May 19, 2025

Please join us in our exciting in-person conference on “The Changing Brain,” co-sponsored by the UCI Center for Neural Circuit Mapping (CNCM), Cajal Club and Allen Institute for Brain Science. The main conference will take place at the Irvine Marriott (08/18-08/20), and additional workshops/bootcamps on spatial transcriptomics and viral-genetic tools will be held on UCI campus (08/21).

Register Here

For more information, check out the conference website here: https://cncm.som.uci.edu/2025-cncm-conference/

Exciting Career Opportunity: Research Scientist & Postdoctoral Scholar Positions Available at the University of California, Irvine

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) is currently seeking qualified candidates for multiple positions in its dynamic neuroscience research team. UCI’s Center for Neural Circuit Mapping and Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology have openings for Research Scientists and Postdoctoral Scholars to contribute to groundbreaking research in neural circuit mapping.

These positions provide an exceptional opportunity to work alongside leading experts in the field of neuroscience, contributing to cutting-edge research on brain function and neural circuits in health and disease. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to engage in multidisciplinary projects and collaborate with an international network of researchers.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Conduct independent and collaborative research on neural circuits and brain function.
  • Develop and implement new experimental techniques in neuroscience.
  • Contribute to scientific publications and presentations.

Qualifications:

  • PhD or equivalent in neuroscience, biology, or related fields.
  • Strong background in molecular neuroscience, neurophysiology, and experimental design.
  • Experience with animal models and various neurotechnological tools is preferred.

These positions offer competitive salaries, access to UCI’s world-class facilities, and opportunities for career development and mentorship.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by visiting the official listing here. Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled.

Don’t miss this chance to be part of one of the leading research teams in the field of neuroscience!

Registration is open for the 2025 Conference: ‘The Changing Brain’ – Deadline May 19, 2025

Please join us in our exciting in-person conference on “The Changing Brain,” co-sponsored by the UCI Center for Neural Circuit Mapping (CNCM), Cajal Club and Allen Institute for Brain Science. The main conference will take place at the Irvine Marriott (08/18-08/20), and additional workshops/bootcamps on spatial transcriptomics and viral-genetic tools will be held on UCI campus (08/21).

Register Here

For more information, check out the conference website here: https://cncm.som.uci.edu/2025-cncm-conference/

UC Irvine-led study reveals new insights into how we navigate space and store memories

Irvine, Calif., Nov. 14, 2024 — Researchers led by the University of California, Irvine are the first to reveal how two neural circuits located in the brain’s retrosplenial cortex are directly linked to spatial navigation and memory storage. This discovery could lead to more precise medical treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive disorders by allowing them to target pathway-specific neural circuits.

The study, recently published online in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, identified two types of RSC pathways, connected to different parts of the brain, each with its own pattern of inputs and functions.

“By demonstrating how specific circuits in the RSC contribute to different aspects of cognition, our findings provide an anatomical foundation for future studies and offer new insights into how we learn and remember the space around us,” said lead and co-corresponding author Xiangmin Xu, UC Irvine Chancellor’s Professor of anatomy and neurobiology and director of the campus’s Center for Neural Circuit Mapping. “This is an important step in understanding how conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders affect particular regions of the brain, which will help to inform new approaches and treatments.”

Read the full article here

New U24 Grant for SCDPAIN: Focusing on CNS Mechanisms in Sickle Cell Pain

NIHs, National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health has awarded a five-year U24 grant of ~$5 million to create a Sickle Cell Disease Pain Analgesia and Integrative Network (SCDPAIN), an innovative, dynamic platform aimed at advancing research on pain mechanisms in sickle cell disease (SCD). Pain in SCD is unique due to its unpredictable and recurrent episodes of acute pain, in addition to chronic pain affecting the majority of individuals with SCD. In the United States, SCD primarily impacts African Americans and some Latino Americans.

This nationwide network (with global outreach) will profoundly influence the science of sickle cell pain through cutting-edge technological advancements and three major goals:
1) “Science without borders”
2) “Promoting the future”
3) “Hub to health.”

To achieve these goals, it will:
1) Build multidisciplinary research capacity to meet critical unmet needs of SCD pain
2) Incentivize novel initiatives through pilot funds
3) Catalyze the next generation of scientists to accelerate SCD pain research

This multi-PI U24 grant is led by Principal Investigator Kalpna Gupta, PhD, Professor of Medicine at the School of Medicine; Susan Samueli Scholar at the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute (SSIHI); and Professor at the School of Pharmacy at UCI. Gupta is a member of CNCM, with collaborative advancement for neural circuit mapping provided by Dr. Xiangmin Xu. Dr. Richard Harris from SSIHI, UCI, is a co-investigator on this grant.

Meeting report for the 2024 UC Irvine Center for neural circuit mapping conference: Brain cell types, circuits, and disorders

We are excited to share our latest publication in Molecular Psychiatry!

The University of California Irvine (UCI) Center for Neural Circuit Mapping (CNCM) held its 4th annual Summer Conference entitled “Brain Cell Types, Circuits, and Disorders” at the Beckman Center of the National Academies of Science and Engineering in Irvine, California. Herein, we provide a Meeting Report highlighting the conference and the work of its attendees.

Check it out here.

CNCM Newsletter #2

UCI Center for Neural Circuit Mapping

We’re thrilled to announce the release of our newest newsletter! This edition acknowledges our members’ achievements and highlights what to look forward to this year and beyond. Inside, you’ll find a closer look at our Viral Core updates, upcoming conference and seminar announcements, and more. Dive in to discover what we’ve been up to and how you can get involved!

The full newsletter can be read here.

UC Irvine-led team reveals how TREM2 genetic mutation affects late-onset Alzheimer’s

Irvine, Calif., Aug. 6, 2024 — Researchers led by the University of California, Irvine have discovered how the TREM2 R47H genetic mutation causes certain brain areas to develop abnormal protein clumps, called beta-amyloid plaques, associated with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Leveraging single-cell Merfish spatial transcriptomics technology, the team was able to profile the effects of the mutation across multiple cortical and subcortical brain regions, offering first-of-their-kind insights at the single-cell level.

The study, recently published online in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, compared the brains of normal mice and special mouse models that undergo changes like those in humans with Alzheimer’s.

Findings revealed that the TREM2 mutation led to divergent patterns of beta-amyloid plaque accumulation in various parts of the brain involved in higher-level functions such as memory, reasoning and speech. It also affected certain cell types and their gene expression near the plaques.

“Alzheimer’s disease progresses differently in individuals with various genetic risk factors,” said principal investigator Xiangmin Xu, UC Irvine Chancellor’s Professor of anatomy and neurobiology and director of the campus’s Center for Neural Circuit Mapping. “By profiling known mutations, we can develop early, personalized treatments before cognitive decline begins.”

Team members analyzed 19 sections of mouse brains and more than 400,000 cells using a special technique called Merfish to see how they were affected by the Alzheimer’s-related mutations. They were able to examine the expression patterns of genes, providing insight into how they are regulated, contribute to cellular functions and respond to stimuli. Their analysis showed that disparate mutations, like TREM2 R47H, cause changes in the ways microglia and astrocyte cells react to inflammation, as well as how neurons communicate and support brain health.

“Early intervention is key to preventing severe cognitive decline. This is the first study to look at the entire brain at such a detailed level, enabling us to gain a deeper understanding of how the TREM2 R47H mutation impacts gene expression in specific cell types,” Xu said. “These insights can help develop targeted therapies that address these changes and can lead to early intervention strategies that help prevent or slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.”

Read the full article here