Jamie C. Akbari-Carpenter
Biomedical engineering
Hometown: Mesa, Arizona, United States
Graduation date: Spring 2026
Additional details: Honors student
FURI | Fall 2024
Aluminosilicate Glass Micropipettes for Fluorescence-Guided Electrophysiology System
Patch-clamp electrophysiology is the gold standard for studying neuronal activity. The Smith lab has integrated fiber optics into the patch-clamp micropipette, enabling subtype-specific identification. However, this system relies on borosilicate glass micropipettes, which are limited in geometry and overly brittle, limiting the range of compatible fiber optics. By testing aluminosilicate micropipettes, a more durable glass, new geometries can be explored and optimized by testing several pulling parameters, expanding feasible geometries. This work aims to expand the compatibility of the system to a greater diversity of fiber optics, allowing for improved sensitivity of the imaging system.
Mentor: Barbara Smith