The secret of tiny hand movements to feel and manipulate objects. This study aims to reveal some of the fundamental sensory mechanisms underlying the uniquely human ability to manipulate objects and use tools. Signals from touch receptors are crucial for controlling grip forces so that delicate objects are held without slipping, or being crushed by excessive force. Yet we know little about how such sensory information is obtained and how it is used for the motor control. By analysing hand moveme ....The secret of tiny hand movements to feel and manipulate objects. This study aims to reveal some of the fundamental sensory mechanisms underlying the uniquely human ability to manipulate objects and use tools. Signals from touch receptors are crucial for controlling grip forces so that delicate objects are held without slipping, or being crushed by excessive force. Yet we know little about how such sensory information is obtained and how it is used for the motor control. By analysing hand movements during object manipulation and recording sensory signals from single human nerve fibres we will investigate how certain types of movement shape richness of available sensory information. This knowledge will facilitate the development of next generation sensory-controlled prosthetics and robotic manipulators.Read moreRead less
Touch and Tension: Molecular Determinants of Human Mechanosensation . Feelings of touch and muscle tension are initiated by mechanosensory neurons found within the peripheral nervous system. Knowledge of human mechanosensory neurons has predominantly relied on rodent studies because of the limited availability of human tissue, which is not ideal. Our team has developed novel technologies for generating human mechanosensory neurons ‘in the dish’. The major aim of this project is to use human stem ....Touch and Tension: Molecular Determinants of Human Mechanosensation . Feelings of touch and muscle tension are initiated by mechanosensory neurons found within the peripheral nervous system. Knowledge of human mechanosensory neurons has predominantly relied on rodent studies because of the limited availability of human tissue, which is not ideal. Our team has developed novel technologies for generating human mechanosensory neurons ‘in the dish’. The major aim of this project is to use human stem cell-derived mechanosensory neurons as a platform to extensively study their molecular and functional properties. The significant benefits are the advancement of knowledge in the human mechanosensory system, which to date has been lacking, and in the long-term progress commercial development of novel drugs.Read moreRead less
Action selection in insects: how a microbrain knows what to do. Identifying what to do demands integrating sensory information with our current physiological state and memory of past experience to select the best possible action. This is the action selection problem. Our project aims to discover how tiny insect brains solve this fundamental problem. The project combines neural recordings from animals exploring virtual reality, behavioural analyses and computational modelling. The expected outco ....Action selection in insects: how a microbrain knows what to do. Identifying what to do demands integrating sensory information with our current physiological state and memory of past experience to select the best possible action. This is the action selection problem. Our project aims to discover how tiny insect brains solve this fundamental problem. The project combines neural recordings from animals exploring virtual reality, behavioural analyses and computational modelling. The expected outcome is a new understanding of the brain as an effective behavioural control system. This will benefit systems and comparative neuroscience. Our findings may also inspire solutions for robotic systems that must operate autonomously in remote and challenging environments such as disaster relief or exploration.Read moreRead less