Research skills
for a CV in PDF format, click here!
Experimental and technical
In-vivo fluorescent calcium imaging (UCLA miniscope) and electrophysiology LFP and single units; silicon probe recordings; microdrives, nichrome fiber bundles; optrodes; recording with both Plexon and Neuralynx) in freely behaving rodents.
Data analysis (MATLAB; GraphPad Prism; SPSS; Spike sorting with Plexon and Klustakwik) and visualization (Adobe Illustrator; Affinity Designer).
Opto- and chemogenetic approaches (experimental design; optical implants & patchcord preparation and implant surgery; CNO preparation and IP injection; behavioral assays).
AAV and rabies tracing approaches (ordering; experimental design; micro-injection; stereotaxic surgery).
Rodent models: Transgenic colony management and behavioral testing (Elevated plus maze; t-maze; fear conditioning; operant conditioning; social interaction test; barnes maze; innate/foraging behaviour, behavioral tracking using DeepLabCut)
Imaging (confocal microscopy; 1 and 2-photon epifluorescence microscopy).
Molecular and cellular biology (immunohistochemistry; PCR)
Examples of calcium sensor GCaMP6f in GABAergic cells of the lateral septum, in-vitro preparation.
Rabies mediated retrograde tracing (van der Veldt et al., 2021).
Examples of miniature microscopy in freely behaving animal. Left: animal exploring an open field, top right: raw fluorescence as recorded through UCLA miniscope with relay lens, bottom right: CNMFe extracted cells color coded for activity.
Management and organization
Transgenic colony management and animal husbandry (ordering, PCR genotyping, overseeing database, weaning), 2017-2021.
Responsible for laboratory virus database (AAV and rabies, opto- and chemogenetic vectors), including ordering, testing, aliquoting and overseeing stock, 2017-2021.
Undergraduate and graduate student supervision (BSc and MSc level)
Teaching experience
Instructor at McGill for 2019 and 2020 Summer Academy, Neuroscience section. Development and teaching of lectures and activities, both in person (2019) and on-line (2020)
New Developments in Neuroscience Research: Guest lecture for senior year undergraduate students. Roosevelt University, spring semester 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Optogenetics, food motivation and dopamine system instructor at International NutriBrain Summer School 2016.
Teacher, Brain Awareness Week Berlin, March, 2015
Assistant teacher and tutor at Erasmus Education (Netherlands), teaching Mathematics and Calculus to students preparing for A-level exams and higher professional education, January 2013-February 2014
Examples of self-motion modulated cells, from top left to bottom right: place, directional, velocity and acceleration modulated cells in lateral septum (van der Veldt et al., 2021).