Ed Boyden: A Light Switch for Neurons

Ed Boyden shows how, by inserting genes for light-sensitive proteins into brain cells, he can selectively activate or de-activate specific neurons with fiber-optic implants. With this unprecedented level of control, he's managed to cure mice of analogs of PTSD and certain forms of blindness. On the horizon: neural prosthetics.

About the Author

Ed Boyden

A pioneer in the field of optogenetics, Ed Boyden is the founder and principal investigator of the synthetic neurobiology group at MIT.