Shining a light on the brain | The Royal Society

The brain is the most complex organ in the human body and the intricate systems and interactions within enable us to sense, feel, think and do. Being able to map these networks and the billions of connections that form them is key to unlocking the secrets of the brain.

Professor Ed Boyden is Y. Eva Tan Professor in Neurotechnology at MIT and professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Media Arts and Sciences, and Biological Engineering, at MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. His discoveries in the emerging field of neurotechnology have revolutionised the way we analyse and repair the brain.

From expansion microscopy, which enables complex biological systems to be imaged with nanoscale precision, to optogenetics, with which individual neurons and pathways can be turned on or off using a beam of light, Professor Boyden talks about his research that led to him being awarded the Croonian Medal and Lecture 2020.The Royal Society is a Fellowship of many of the world's most eminent scientists and is the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence. Visit our website to learn more: https://royalsociety.org/

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