Chemistry Seminar with Dr. Rui Gao from UI Chicago at 4:00pm

Abstract: Living organisms comprise structures that span orders of
magnitude in size, assembled from tens of thousands of, if not
more, distinct molecular entities. Uncovering how these complex
systems function and malfunction requires investigating their
molecular organization, interactions, and dynamics at high
spatiotemporal resolution. Conventional analytical methods,
however, face fundamental trade-offs between spatial resolution,
molecular specificity, and throughput, among other constraints.
In this talk, I will highlight my lab’s ongoing development of novel
molecular tools designed to overcome key limitations in spatial
resolution, multiplexity, and scalability for imaging-based spatial
biology. I will further discuss how we apply these tools to our
investigation of brain function and dysfunction, focusing on the
cellular and molecular mechanisms driving synaptic transmission,
neuronal connectivity, neurodegeneration, and mental disorders.