WEBINAR—Optogenetic Activation of Selective Cardiac Autonomic Neurons

May 20, 2021
11 a.m. EDT

In this American Physiological Society webinar, produced in partnership with ADInstruments, Angel Moreno, PhD, will provide a brief overview of the cardiac autonomic system and how optogenetic photostimulation can modulate this system in transgenic mice. Special emphasis will be given to experimental preparation, troubleshooting and data analysis and interpretation.

The autonomic system is the main regulator of cardiac function by providing control of heart rate and contractility via its sympathetic and parasympathetic branches. Understanding how autonomic dysfunction plays a role in cardiac arrhythmogenesis (abnormal heart rhythms) is an active area of research. However, measuring changes in cardiac performance resulting from the activation of specific cardiac nerves is extremely challenging. Optogenetic tools have enabled the selective activation of cardiac neurons expressing the light-gated cation channel channelrhodopsin (ChR2), promoting high spatio-temporal control of neurotransmitter release.

Learning objectives of the webinar include:

• understanding the basics of optogenetic stimulation and cardiac autonomic tone,
• identifying the proper tools and equipment needed to perform a study, and
• recognizing and addressing potential problems with cardiac nerve stimulation via optogenetic activation.
  

Angel Moreno, PhD, received his master’s and doctoral degrees in biomedical engineering from the George Washington University in Washington D.C., specializing in cardiac function and electrophysiology, under the guidance of Matthew Kay, PhD. During this time, Moreno developed different tools to measure and control cardiac activity, including the implementation of an optogenetic approach to analyze neurocardiac function. He is a postdoctoral researcher at the Liryc Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute at the University of Bordeaux in France, under the mentorship of Jason Bayer, PhD. Moreno’s research looks for new ways to seamlessly and painlessly restore normal cardiac rhythm after a sudden onset of a potentially dangerous arrhythmia, while analyzing the heart’s electrical activity through adaptable technology.