# Summary of IRC Log from November 12, 2016

* Researchers shared advances in optogenetics, including a Cre-dependent transgenic "Floxopatch" mouse line that enables simultaneous optical perturbation and readout of membrane potential in diverse cell types, allowing for classification of neuronal subtypes based on firing patterns.

* Significant discussion of azobenzene photocontrol of peptides and proteins, highlighting how these photoswitches can be used to control protein function, DNA binding, ion channels, and even restore retinal function in blind mice through light-responsive molecular modifications.

* Several papers were shared on genetic engineering techniques, including CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-in for fluorescent protein tagging of endogenous proteins in brain neurons, and engineering prokaryotic sodium channels (BacNav) to create excitable human tissues.

* Advanced imaging techniques were discussed, including photoacoustic microscopy for visualizing microvasculature through a mouse skull, and single-molecule stochastic localization super-resolution microscopy for imaging synaptic proteins.

* Participants shared research on DNA barcoding for neural connectivity mapping, including a theoretical framework for "network cloning" where connectivity patterns encoded in DNA barcodes could be copied from one neural network to another.

* DeepMind's WaveNet generative model for raw audio was mentioned, along with discussions about autonomous vehicle technology and debates between vision-only versus LIDAR-based approaches for self-driving cars.