Neurophotonics: Novel Technologies to Probe the Brain With Light.

Dr. de Koninck is interested in chemical mechanisms associated with the integration of sensorial signals in the spinal cord, specifically those related to the transmission of pain influx. Dr. De Koninck covers expertise in synaptic physiology, biophysics, patch clamp electrophysiology, cellular imaging in brain slices and multiphoton confocal applications.

Dr. de Koninck’s group currently focuses on synaptic mechanisms implicating amino-acids creating inhibition or excitation, and neuropeptides such as endorphins. In order to study the alteration of the chemical transmission inside the central nervous system upon lesion, techniques such as patch clamp are used to detect faint synaptic events. High resolution techniques allow for studying the activity of individual receptors while maintaining the neuronal functional connections intact. Yves de Koninck is an FRSQ Senior Scholar and is Director of the Division of Cellular Neurobiology at the CRULRG. He is also member of the board of the NSERC NanoInnovation Platform.