Description: Physical embedding and isotropic swelling of fixed tissue in a hydrogel to separate densely packed labeled biomolecules, enabling nanoscale-resolution imaging on diffraction-limited microscopes.
PREFERRED. Boyden co-invented optogenetics and expansion microscopy, the latter physically swelling fixed tissue in a hydrogel to achieve nanoscale-resolution imaging on conventional diffraction-limited microscopes; his Synthetic Neurobiology Group continues to push these techniques (expansion revealing, thousandfold expansion microscopy) alongside genetically encoded voltage/activity indicators and brain-wide circuit mapping. The group's Media Lab page notes it is currently accepting new students.