Brian Chow

Brian Chow, during his time in the lab as a postdoctoral fellow, developed new molecular and physical tools to control excitable cells, including genetically targetable, light-activated neural activity silencers. Earlier, he received his Ph.D. from MIT, inventing a platform for optically synthesizing DNA microarrays by leveraging semiconductor photoelectrochemistry. Prior to MIT, Brian received his B.S. Chemistry from Stanford University and worked as an engineer at IBM Storage Systems Division. After finishing his work in the lab, he went on to become an assistant professor at U. Penn.

Publications

Noninvasive optical inhibition with a red-shifted microbial rhodopsin

Nature Neuroscience | 2014

Chuong, A. S., Miri, M. L.*, Busskamp, V.*, Matthews, G.A.C.*, Acker, L.C.*, Soresnsen, A.T., Young, A., Klapoetke, N. C., Henninger, M.A., Kodandaramaiah, S.B., Ogawa, M., Ramanlal, S. B., Bandler, R. C., Allen, B. D., Forest, C.R., Chow, B.Y., Han, X., Lin, Y., Tye, K.M., Roska, B., Cardin, J.A., Boyden, E. S. (2014) Noninvasive optical inhibition with a red-shifted microbial rhodopsin, Nature Neuroscience 17:1123-1129. (*, equal contribution)

Independent Optical Excitation of Distinct Neural Populations

Nature Methods | 2014

Klapoetke, N. C., Murata, Y., Kim S. S., Pulver, S. R., Birdsey-Benson, A., Cho, Y. K., Morimoto, T. K., Chuong, A. S., Carpenter, E. J., Tian, Z., Wang, J., Xie, Y., Yan, Z., Zhang, Y., Chow, B.Y., Surek, B., Melkonian, M., Jayaraman, V., Constantine-Paton, M., Wong, G. K.*, Boyden, E. S.* (2014) Independent Optical Excitation of Distinct Neural Populations, Nature Methods 11:338–346. (* co-corresponding authors)

Optogenetics and Translational Medicine

Science Translational Medicine | 2013

Chow, B. Y.* and Boyden, E. S.* (2013) Optogenetics and Translational Medicine, Science Translational Medicine 5(177):177ps5. (* co-corresponding authors)

Automated whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology of neurons in vivo

Nature Methods | 2012

Kodandaramaiah, S., Talei Franzesi, G., Chow, B., Boyden, E. S.*, Forest, C.* (2012) Automated whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology of neurons in vivo, Nature Methods 9:585–587. (* co-corresponding authors)

Genetically encoded molecular tools for light-driven silencing of targeted neurons

Progress in Brain Research | 2012

Chow B.Y., Han, X., Boyden, E. S. (2012) Genetically encoded molecular tools for light-driven silencing of targeted neurons, Progress in Brain Research 196:49-61.

Face-selective electrostatic control of hydrothermal zinc oxide nanowire synthesis

Nature Materials | 2011

Joo, J., Chow, B. Y., Prakash, M., Boyden, E. S., Jacobson, J. M. (2011) Face-selective electrostatic control of hydrothermal zinc oxide nanowire synthesis, Nature Materials 10(8):596-601.

Synthetic Physiology

Science | 2011

Chow, B. Y. and Boyden, E. S. (2011) Synthetic Physiology, Science 332(6037):1508-1509.

Synthetic Physiology: Strategies for Adapting Tools from Nature for Genetically-Targeted Control of Fast Biological Processes

Methods in Enzymology | 2011

Chow, B. Y.*, Chuong, A. S. *, Klapoetke, N. C. *, Boyden, E. S. (2011) Synthetic Physiology: Strategies for Adapting Tools from Nature for Genetically-Targeted Control of Fast Biological Processes, Methods in Enzymology 497:425-43. (* co-first authors)

A high-light sensitivity optical neural silencer: development, and application to optogenetic control of nonhuman primate cortex

Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience | 2011

Han, X.*, Chow, B. Y.*, Zhou, H., Klapoetke, N. C., Chuong, A., Rajimehr, R., Yang, A., Baratta, M. V., Winkle, J., Desimone, R., Boyden, E. S. (2011) A high-light sensitivity optical neural silencer: development and application to optogenetic control of non-human primate cortex, Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience 5:18. (* co-first authors)

Light-Activated Ion Pumps and Channels for Temporally Precise Optical Control of Activity in Genetically Targeted Neurons

Neuromethods | 2011

Chow, B. Y., Han, X., Bernstein, J. G., Monahan, P. E., Boyden, E. S. (2011) Light-Activated Ion Pumps and Channels for Temporally Precise Optical Control of Activity in Genetically Targeted Neurons, Chapter 6, Photosensitive Molecules for Controlling Biological Function, edited by James J. Chambers and Richard H. Kramer, Neuromethods Series Volume 55, Humana Press.

Defining An Algorithm For Inventing From Nature

Technology Review | 2010

Boyden, E. S. and Chow, B. Y. (2010) "Defining An Algorithm For Inventing From Nature." Column, Technology Review. 1/19/2010.

High-performance genetically targetable optical neural silencing by light-driven proton pumps

Nature | 2010

Chow, B. Y.*, Han, X.*, Dobry, A. S., Qian, X., Chuong, A. S., Li, M., Henninger, M. A., Belfort, G. M., Lin, Y., Monahan, P. E., Boyden, E. S. (2010) High-performance genetically targetable optical neural silencing by light- driven proton pumps, Nature 463:98-102. (* co-first authors)