What researchers say

Our research focuses on the neural mechanisms of motor skill learning and how sleep consolidates motor skills. Our translational work extends these questions to stroke recovery, including the development of neuroprosthetics and closed-loop stimulation systems that augment recovery

Our long-term goal is to develop brain-state-aware stimulation therapies for stroke rehabilitation. We view stroke recovery as a re-learning problem: the neural activity patterns that support skill learning and are replayed during sleep are disrupted by stroke, and restoring them at the right moment may speed recovery.

We use TDT’s RZ2 system (128 channels) for simultaneous recordings from motor cortex and cerebellum in awake, behaving (and sleeping) rodents. I have used TDT through both the earlier OpenEx interface and the current Synapse application, and found both easy to use and intuitive. Newer versions also incorporate feedback from scientists, which makes them even easier to use. Available gizmos can stream single-unit firing rates and LFP power in real time, allowing versatile closed-loop applications and experiments.

TDT equipment has improved our lab’s productivity. Its intuitive interface makes the recording systems accessible to both neural engineers and neurobiologists in the lab, and when questions come up, TDT’s technical team is only a call away with solutions.

TDT offers turnkey systems for high-density electrophysiology recordings, closed-loop electrical or optogenetic modulation, and real-time streaming of neural activity for neuroprosthetic (brain-machine interface) applications. This is coupled with excellent customer and technical support. TDT’s real-time closed-loop capabilities are central to testing this idea in preclinical rodent experiments, which we aim to translate into optimized therapies for stroke patients.

Our lab studies how the auditory cortex turns sound into action. We want to know how distinct classes of cortical projection neurons are shaped by the sensory environment, and how they drive purposeful, sound-guided behavior in mice.

Long term, we want to connect cortical circuits to behavior across the whole brain, and I expect TDT hardware to remain at the center of our rigs while we do it. Fewer hours debugging, more hours doing science: hard to beat.

We use their systems for our physiology, both high-density ephys and fiber photometry, and to synchronize sound, behavior, and neural recordings across every rig. I first started using TDT as a postdoc, and when I set up my own lab it was an easy decision to bring it with me. There’s a lot to be said for hardware you already trust.

TDT is the backbone of our work. The support has been extremely valuable. Whenever we’ve hit a snag, the TDT team has helped us sort it out quickly. That has saved us real time, especially for trainees setting up new experiments for the first time.

Our research goals mean running a lot at once: high-channel-count electrophysiology, fiber photometry, optogenetics, and head-fixed behavior, all of which need to line up precisely.

Our laboratory at Creighton University investigates the neural circuits underlying auditory perception and cognition, with a particular interest in how hearing loss alters these processes. We combine neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, and operant behavioral approaches to address these questions.

I had previously worked with TDT equipment, but often in combination with custom hardware and software. When establishing my own laboratory, I wanted a more streamlined and integrated approach that would allow us to combine behavioral testing with neural recordings and circuit manipulations. I was excited to see TDT’s development of their modular, all-in-one systems, which offered exactly the flexibility and integration I was looking for.

Our laboratory is now equipped with iConQZ behavioral control systems, iD2 128-channel digital recording systems with a commutator, iV2 video recording and tracking, iX7 fiber photometry, and iX6 optogenetic stimulation. One of the biggest advantages of this setup is how modular it is. We can easily incorporate or remove components depending on the experimental design, allow us to move between behavioral, physiological, and circuit-level approaches without having to build entirely separate systems. The Pynapse-based software has also been a major advantage, providing the flexibility to develop and modify behavioral experiments as our questions evolve.

Another major advantage of working with TDT has been the exceptional customer service and technical support. We have been able to get our systems up and running relatively quickly, and Myles Billard has been instrumental with this process. From navigating equipment purchases and configuring our systems to developing new experiments and troubleshooting unexpected issues, he has been an invaluable resource. He is always responsive and willing to jump on a Zoom call to work through problems with us. His support has even extended beyond TDT equipment, including helping us test the quality of our silicon multielectrode probes. Having that level of support has made a huge difference as we’ve established our laboratory and launched the experiments that are critical to our research.

Ultimately, what drew me to TDT was the ability to bring multiple experimental approaches together within a single, flexible platform. As our research expands to test neural circuit function during increasingly complex auditory behaviors, this integration will be especially valuable. Equally important is knowing that we have such a knowledgeable and responsive team supporting us at TDT. This gives us great confidence to continue developing new approaches and pushing our experiments in new directions.