Optical Electrophysiology

Electrochromic optical recording (ECORE) of neurons and cardiomyocytes

We are developing a new class of label-free optical electrophysiology for detecting neuroelectric signals. ElectroChromic Optical REcording (ECORE) utilizes the unique property of electrochromic materials that their optical absorption is a function of externally applied voltages. When neurons fire an action potential, the voltage will induce a localize color change of the electrochromic thin film, which allows us to optically read out electrical signals. By detecting reflection instead of fluorescence, ECORE avoids photobleaching and phototoxicity. The ECORE project takes a highly interdisciplinary approach of chemistry (electrochromic chemicals), physics (ultrasensitive optical detection), and biology (neuroscience).

Selected Publications

• Zhou Y, Liu E, Yang Y, Alfonso F, Ahmed B, Nakasone K, Forró C, Müller H*, Cui B*. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 144, 23505-23515 (2022). [Link]
• Zhou Y, Liu E, Müller H, Cui B*. Optical Electrophysiology: Toward the Goal of Label-Free Voltage Imaging. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 143, 10482-10499 (2021). [Link]
• Balch HB, McGuire AF, Horng J, Tsai HZ, Qi KK, Duh YS, Forrester PR, Crommie MF, Cui B, Wang F*. Graphene electric field sensor enables single shot label-free imaging of bioelectric potentials. Nano Letter, 21, 4944-4949 (2021). [Link]
• Alfonso FS, Zhou Y, Liu E, McGuire AF, Yang Y, Kantarci H, Li D, Copenhaver E, Zuchero JB, Müller H*, Cui B*. Label-free optical detection of bioelectric potentials using electrochromic thin films. PNAS, 117, 17260-17268 (2020). [Link]
• Horng J‡, Balch H‡, McGuire AF, Tsai HZ, Forrester P, Crommie M, Cui B, Wang F*. Imaging electric field dynamics with graphene optoelectronics. Nature Communications, 7, 13704 (2016). [Link]