ACAN

📢ACAN 2026 dates📢: ACAN 2026 will run from May 10th to May 30th at UNSW. Please be sure to follow our bluesy account (@acancourse.bsky.social) and to check in at ans.org.au/acan/ for updates. @AusNeuroSoc

That's a wrap for ACAN 2025, the 20th anniversary of ACAN. Well done to our 12 students for making it through 21 days of intensive training! Congratulations to Jay Bertran-Gonzalez & the entire team who volunteered their time to put on an amazing course.@AusNeuroSoc @ANS_Students

The ACAN community has great spirit, built on a passion for neuroscience and collaboration. Some behind the scenes of an ACAN birthday and ACAN faculty showing off the 2025 T-shirt designed by our students. @AusNeuroSoc

Week 3 is coming to an end and we want to thank the main theme sponsor @MedAssociates for their equipment. Also thank you to @doriclenses , @StoeltingNeuro , & @HP_Australia for providing equipment for our students to learn fibre photometry, surgery, & advanced data analysis

We're getting to the end of ACAN. Yesterday saw lectures by @DehorterLab & @LeighWalkerPhD on acetylcholine in the striatum, and muscarinic control of neural function. We also had a special lecture by @JohnNJReynolds on dopamine & acetylcholine in corticostriatal plasticity

We are now into week 3- systems & behaviour. So far we've had lectures on behaviour, photometry, neurogenesis, & evolution of the cortex. In the labs we've been running conditioning experiments, electroporation, fibre photometry, and a lot of advanced data analysis. @AusNeuroSoc

Today's lectures were given by Fred Meunier and Victor Anggono on probing synaptic function with super res microscopy, & the molecular structure of learning & memory. In the afternoon the students will have a go at super resolution, & TIRF microscopy. @AusNeuroSoc @ANS_Students

@neurodigit @AusNeuroSoc @ANS_Students We will be at UNSW for the next couple of years at least. Having the course at universities and institutes provides good infrastructure and facilities, but you never know, we may return to Stradbroke Island one day 🙂

@ACAN_Course @AusNeuroSoc @ANS_Students Will you be ACANing in remote islands again?

Today the students had lectures from John Power and Jack Waters on calcium imaging and wide field imaging respectively. In the lab the students start their 2 photon microscopy, intravital imaging, and confocal microscopy workshop rotations. @AusNeuroSoc @ANS_Students

Imaging week continues with lectures from Ethan Scott and Lezanne Ooi on light sheet imaging in zebrafish, and brain organoids respectively. Today the students try their hand at light sheet imaging, imaging organoids, and MEA recordings from organoids. @AusNeuroSoc @ANS_Students

A special thank you to our ephys instructors for all their preparation and staying past midnight each day to train the students. Ben Lau, Toby Bluett, Lee Fletcher, Alex Tang, Cherry Mao, Bryony Winters, and Stephen Williams. @AusNeuroSoc @ANS_Students

We are now into week 2 of ACAN - Network and Systems. This week focusses on advanced imaging techniques and how to combine it with electrophysiology. Congrats to Chow and Bronwyn for winning the dendrite and dual recording prizes. @AusNeuroSoc @ANS_Students

Day 5 of ACAN had lectures on dendritic integration & in vivo methods. In the lab we tried dendritic recordings with a special prize sponsored by Prof Cliff Abraham. Due to popular demand, Prof Stephen Williams gave an impromptu part 2 lecture on dendrites at 10pm! @AusNeuroSoc

Days 3 & 4 of ACAN saw lectures on axonal and synaptic physiology. Last night we had a hot topic lecture by Prof Chris Reid on translational research for rare forms of epilepsy. Lots of success in the lab with all students patching and analysing data. @AusNeuroSoc @ANS_Students

Day 2 at ACAN featured lectures on the electrical structure of neurons, and ion channels by Prof Greg Stuart and Dr Bill Connelly. In the lab the students studied voltage-current relationships with many students patching their first cells. @AusNeuroSoc @ANS_Students

ACAN 2025 has started! Today we started with a course overview and introduction to the week 1 theme by course directors Jay and Lee. It wouldn't be ACAN electrophysiology if the first lecture wasn't by Prof John Bekkers on "The Golden Rules of Electrophysiology". @AusNeuroSoc

Last but not least, we have Sushmitha and Sadaf. Sushmitha's PhD studies the role of astrocytes and inflammation in ALS. Sadaf's PhD investigates the molecular properties of inhibitory interneurons in the adult and aged brain. @AusNeuroSoc @ANS_Students

Next is Bronwyn and Morgane. Bronwyn's PhD nvestigates how the tail striatum contributes to sensory symptoms of neurological disorders. Morgane's PhD investigates how chandelier cells modulate the axon initial segment of pyramidal neurons during predictive coding. @AusNeuroSoc

Next up we have Raphael Ricci and Luke Keevers. Luke's PhD investigates how aversive events lead to appropriate behaviour adaptation. Raphael is an ECR investigating how abnormal myelination impacts neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. @ANS_Students @AusNeuroSoc

Next we have @MadeleineDiNat1 and Michael. Maddy is an ECR studying the use of stem cells to treat gut motility disorders. Michael's PhD investigates the use electrical stimulation to alter retinal ganglion cell function and retinal degeneration. @AusNeuroSoc @ANS_Students