Nature Communications Highlights Research of Dr. Maged Goubran
MBP scientist Dr. Maged Goubran has had a recently published Nature Communications article entitled “Multimodal image registration and connectivity analysis for integration of connectomic data from microscopy to MRI” designated an ‘Editors Selection’ in the prominent journal. This special section within Nature Communications provides a snapshot of some of the most exciting neuroscience research being published.
Article Abstract
"3D histology, slice-based connectivity atlases, and diffusion MRI are common techniques to map brain wiring. While there are many modality-specific tools to process these data, there is a lack of integration across modalities. We develop an automated resource that combines histologically cleared volumes with connectivity atlases and MRI, enabling the analysis of histological features across multiple fiber tracts and networks, and their correlation with in-vivo biomarkers. We apply our pipeline in a murine stroke model, demonstrating not only strong correspondence between MRI abnormalities and CLARITY-tissue staining, but also uncovering acute cellular effects in areas connected to the ischemic core. We provide improved maps of connectivity by quantifying projection terminals from CLARITY viral injections, and integrate diffusion MRI with CLARITY viral tracing to compare connectivity maps across scales. Finally, we demonstrate tract-level histological changes of stroke through this multimodal integration. This resource can propel investigations of network alterations underlying neurological disorders."