Imagine a place where bright young minds in Neuroscience gather from across the world, not in the hallowed halls of academia’s ivory towers, but in the heart of nature, where innovation meets inspiration. The aim is to empower the next generations of brain researchers to understand how top-notch discovery tools work, and how they can access them in inexpensive and flexible ways. Building these tools from scratch in a place lacking the standard laboratory infrastructure, in the company of experts in the field, aching to share their knowledge in a friendly and open manner, drives innovation and fosters the enterprising spirit. Not being limited by the tools, but rather embracing and using them at their full potential, enables researchers to focus their creative energy on answering fundamental open questions about how the brain works.

TENSS is a worldwide initiative to train young brain researchers, from both developed and poor countries, in understanding and using the most advanced tools in brain research today. At TENSS, a dozen students learn the latest techniques used in neuroscience ranging from optical imaging, optogenetics, electrophysiology, behavioral paradigms and data analysis methods. Addressed to a graduate student and postdoc audience, the course is focused on experimental and theoretical methods to study how the brain operates at the level of neuronal circuits. The school happens in an idyllic location (Pike Lake, Transylvania, Romania), without any pre-existing infrastructure, where students and instructors alike enjoy the adventure, work hard, and build sophisticated research labs from scratch. The philosophy of the school is learning by doing and while doing so, openly sharing ideas and expertise.

A primer on optical imaging methods in Biology for the first year PhD students in CSHL. The course aims to open ‘black boxes’ and inspire do-it-yourself approaches to problem solving in scientific research.

A hands-on course on in vivo optical imaging methods to investigate structure and function of the brain. Students build custom rigs ranging from intrinsic & fluorescence widefield setups, multiphoton laser scanning, as well as light field and lighsheet microscopes and discuss various developments in optical imaging, including use of indicators (calcium & voltage) and patterned photo-stimulation techniques (SLMs, DMDs). A strong emphasis is placed on analysis methods of the acquired data.