In this episode, we follow Caenorhabditis elegans into the magnetic field. Researchers have developed an elegant way to measure whole-brain neural activity in freely moving worms using a calcium-sensitive MRI contrast agent — a major step toward non-invasive brain mapping at the organism scale.We explore:How a genetically targeted MRI probe was used to detect calcium flux across the entire worm brainThe fusion of genetics, MRI physics, and behavioural trackingReal-time measurements of brain dynamics during natural behaviourHow this technique opens the door to non-invasive neuroimaging in small model organismsImplications for understanding how global brain states coordinate behaviour📖 Based on the research article:“Functional MRI of brain-wide activity in freely moving C. elegans”Uday A. Ramalingam, Andrew M. Leifer, et al.Published in Nature (2024)🔗 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08331-x🎧 Subscribe to the WOrM Podcast for more full-organism innovations in imaging, neuroscience, and behaviour!🔗 www.veerenchauhan.com

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