Jason Climer is an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology. While completing his research internship at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Climer designed and implemented a genetic screen for suppressors of the phenotype caused by a gain-of-function receptor in C. elegans muscle. Additionally he isolated mutant, and used SNP mapping, epiforescent and confocal imaging, and drug resistance assays to characterize these mutants. Furthermore, during Climer’s doctoral research at Boston University, he recorded hippocampal and entorhinal neurons and population activity using microdrive-driven tetrodes and linear probes. He also developed and implemented computational models of entorhinal grid cell properties, and developed novel analytical techniques for examining these properties. Performed optogenetic manipulations in conjunction with animal behavior and dense electrode array physiology to examine the role of the cholinergic system in memory. During his postdoctoral research at Northwestern University, Climer designed and constructed novel microscope for simultaneous dual spectrum and volumetric imaging. He also developed virtual reality experiments and recorded hippocampal cell bodies, dendrites and spines in awake, behaving animals using experimental surgery techniques and 2-photon imaging of activity reporters. Additionally, he refactored and rewrote analysis pipeline resulting in a 10 times improvement in speed and developed techniques for cell-type specific labeling of hippocampally projecting neurons. He also developed novel analysis approaches for assessing information theoretic measures as applied to imaging data and for activity in subcellular structures.

Education

• B.S., biology & biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 2010

• Ph.D., neuroscience, Boston University, 2016

• 2004: Boy Scout Eagle Scout

• 2007: Charles O. Thomson Scholar

• 2010: Steven J. Kahn Award

• 2010: Provost’s Award for Most Outstanding MQP (Senior Thesis) 

• 2013: Henry I. Russek Student Achievement Award 

• 2017: Finalist Image, Northwestern Office of Science in Society

Research Areas:

• Electrophysiology

• Neurophysiology 

• Neurobiology

• Behavioral Neuroscience

Research Interests:

• Two-Photon Imaging

• Virtual Reality

• Computational Neuroscience

• Learning and Memory

• Imaging

• Computational Neuroscience

• Spatial cognition

• Spatial navigation

Memory is essential for survival and quality of life, but the cellular and circuit events that underlie memory remain poorly understood. The Climer Lab uses cutting edge techniques to tease apart these events and to learn about how our memories are stored, how they change over time, and ultimately, how they are forgotten. By combining calcium imaging with glutamate imaging, the Climer Lab explores the input-output functions of hippocampal neurons over the lifetime of memory. Using virtual reality, they create environments impossible in the real world and challenge animals’ memory capabilities to learn more about how memory functions. They use computational approaches to examine the contents of the messages being sent and received by these neurons to better understand the information processing going on in the spatial memory centers of the brain. Lab techniques that are used are: In-vivo electrophysiology, mouse and rat virtual reality, rodent care and behavioral techniques, aseptic rodent cranial surgery, upright, confocal, and 2-photon live imaging, optogenetics, molecular cloning, PCR, ELIZA, protein separation, molecular cloning, and C. elegans maintenance and genetics. Computer skills that are utilized are: Python, Keras/TensorFlow, PyTorch, Git, MATLAB, MYSQL, Java, C, C++, HTML and javascript, 3Ds Max and Maya 3D graphics, Photoshop and Illustrator 2D graphics, Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.