The researchers used combat video game algorithms to analyze the movement of particles in brain cells, a method previously used to track bullets. This innovative approach has shed light on the activity of brain cells, paving the way for advances in neuroscience research.
Researchers from the University of Queensland have applied an algorithm from a video game to study the dynamics of molecules in living brain cells.
Dr Tristan Wallis and Professor Frederick Meunier of the Queensland Brain Institute at the University of Queensland came up with the idea during lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Combat video games use a very fast algorithm to track the trajectory of the bullet, to ensure that the right target on the battlefield is hit at the right time,” said Dr. Wallis. “The technology is optimized to be extremely accurate, so that the experience is as realistic as possible. We thought a similar algorithm could be used to analyze tracked particles moving through a brain cell.
Until now, the technology has only been able to detect and analyze particles in space, not their behavior in space and time.
“Scientists use super-resolution microscopy to examine living brain cells and record how the tiny molecules within them aggregate to perform specific functions,” said Dr. Wallis. “Individual proteins bounce and move around in a seemingly chaotic environment, but when you observe these molecules in space and time, you start to see the system in disarray. It was an interesting idea – and it worked.
https://www.youtube.com/watch؟v=lzBK03bkqoQ
Ultra-resolution imaging of Syntaxin 1A in a plasma membrane coil. Credit: the authors
Dr. Wallis used coding tools to create an algorithm now used by many labs to collect rich data on brain cell activity.
“Instead of tracking evil bullets in video games, we applied the algorithm to watch which molecules clump together – which ones, when, where, for how long, and how often,” said Dr. Wallis. “This gives us new insights into how molecules perform essential functions in brain cells and how these functions may be disrupted during aging and disease.”
Professor Meunier said the potential impact of this approach was exponential.
“Our team is already using this technology to collect valuable evidence on proteins such as Syntaxin-1A, which are essential for communication within brain cells,” said Professor Meunier. Other researchers are also applying it to different research questions. And we’re collaborating with mathematicians and statisticians at the University of Queensland to expand how we use this technology to accelerate scientific discovery.
Professor Meunier said it was gratifying to see the impact of a simple idea.
“We used our creativity to solve a research challenge by merging two unrelated worlds of high-tech, video games and super-resolution microscopy,” he said. “It has taken us to new heights of neuroscience.”
Reference: “Hyper-resolved trajectory derived from nanoscale analysis using spatiotemporal indexing” by Tristan B. Wallis, Anmin Jiang, Kyle Young, Hui Ho, Kei Kudo, Alex J. S. Gormal and Frédéric A. Munier, June 8, 2023, Available Here. Connect with nature.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38866-y
