Guide to Research Techniques in Neuroscience

Modern neuroscience research is inherently multidisciplinary, with a wide variety of cutting edge new techniques to explore multiple levels of investigation. This Third Edition of Guide to Research Techniques in Neuroscience provides a comprehensive overview of classical and cutting edge methods including their utility, limitations, and how data are presented in the literature. This book can be used as an introduction to neuroscience techniques for anyone new to the field or as a reference for any neuroscientist while reading papers or attending talks.

• Nearly 200 updated full-color illustrations to clearly convey the theory and practice of neuroscience methods
• Expands on techniques from previous editions and covers many new techniques including in vivo calcium imaging, fiber photometry, RNA-Seq, brain spheroids, CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, and more
• Clear, straightforward explanations of each technique for anyone new to the field
• A broad scope of methods, from noninvasive brain imaging in human subjects, to electrophysiology in animal models, to recombinant DNA technology in test tubes, to transfection of neurons in cell culture
• Detailed recommendations on where to find protocols and other resources for specific techniques
• "Walk-through" boxes that guide readers through experiments step-by-step

Matt Carter is an Associate Professor of Biology at Williams College where he teaches courses in neuroscience and physiology. His research program focuses on how the brain regulates food intake and sleep and is funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation. In addition to primary scientific publications, he is also the author of Designing Science Presentations (Academic Press). He is a recipient of the Walter Gores Award for Excellence in Teaching from Stanford University and the Nelson Bushnell Prize for Excellence in Teaching and Writing from Williams College.

Rachel Essner is a Neuroscience PhD candidate at Harvard University and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. She received a BA in Biology from Williams College in 2016, where she was awarded the Erastus C. Benedict prize in Biology. Her current research focuses on how the brain processes and regulates sensory signals from within the body.

Nitsan Goldstein is a Neuroscience PhD candidate at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on gut–brain communication and how the brain regulates innate behaviors. Nitsan received her BA in Biology and Psychology from Williams College in 2015. She is the winner of the 2021 Regeneron Prize for Creative Innovation and is a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow.

Manasi Iyer is a Neurosciences PhD candidate and a Graduate Fellow in Science and Engineering at Stanford University, where she is studying the cellular mechanisms that underlie developmental myelin formation in the central nervous system. She received her BA in Biology from Williams College in 2014, where she was awarded the Erastus C. Benedict Prize in Biology. When she is not in lab, Manasi spends her time teaching undergraduate courses such as Foundational Topics in Neuroscience and working with NeuWrite West as an editor and blog manager. She is also passionate about early child education.