NeurOhmics: A platform for subcellular mapping and control of neuronal electrical properties

Understanding brain function and developing treatments for neurological disorders requires detailed knowledge of the fundamental biophysical mechanisms governing neural communication. While neurons are often described as electrical circuits, a critical knowledge gap persists: we lack comprehensive understanding of how passive components, such as axial resistance, and membrane capacitance, vary spatially within individual cells.One fundamental but under-explored aspect of neuronal function is the heterogeneous distribution of electrical characteristics across different cellular compartments. Traditional electrophysiology provides only single- point measurements, missing the intricate landscape that determines signal propagation through dendritic trees, cell bodies, and axonal branches. Moreover, how these passive electrical properties dynamically respond to voltage changes remains largely uncharacterised due to technical limitations.The Neuroscience community increasingly recognises that mapping this heterogeneity is essential for comprehending neural computation, yet suitable tools for non-invasive, high-resolution characterisation simply do not exist.This proposal establishes a transformative optical microscope capable of mapping passive electrical properties across neuronal compartments at submicrometre resolution. This technically ambitious project promises to revolutionise not only neuronal biophysics and neuroscience, but also regenerative medicine, cell therapy, and treatment development, opening entirely new discovery pathways with far-reaching impact across multiple biomedical disciplines.