Edinburgh: Long-term temperature stabilisation of tissue slices

Licensing opportunity

Scientists at Edinburgh University have developed temperature controller software that provides the capability to routinely run accurate experiments, including overnight experiments, on brain slices, by monitoring and controlling the full electrophysiology rig.

Conventional heaters in brain slice chambers can cause droplets of condensation from the fluid filled chamber to form on the cooler electrodes and consequently limit the time available to collect brain slice recording.

Rather than controlling the heating of the slice chamber, the Edinburgh temperature software controller maintains the temperature of everything within the insulated rig. The temperature of the oxygenated air, the brain slice, the electrodes and the remaining rig equalise, providing a stable environment for long-term recordings.

For example, the temperature can be maintained at a constant 32°C to extend the length of slice viability to allow investigations of long-term changes in synaptic connectivity.

Edinburgh University is seeking to license the temperature controller software, technical manual and know-how, to electrophysiology rig instrumentation companies on a non-exclusive basis to sell to life science research industry.

For more information, visit the project’s page at http://www.university-technology.com/details/long-term-temperature-stabilisation-of-tissue-slices