Need Help with Electronic Devices in Electrophysiology Experiments?

[kingdomof]

Considering the amount of electronic knowledge needed for an electrophysiologist is relatively high compared to the amount found in coursework for the average Biology and Biochemistry major, would anyone give me some advice on how to supplement my education with some fundamental ideas that can help me understand and troubleshoot the electronic devices used in such experiments?

Thank you!

 

[berkeman]

Could you give us a pointer or two to information about what an electrophysiologist does? I don't think many of us are familiar with that.

 

[kingdomof]

Well, other than the very obvious finding of electro-chemical gradients, an electrophysiologist troubleshoots wiring and the influence of EMFs on a reading electrode.

 

[berkeman]

Well, other than the very obvious finding of electro-chemical gradients, an electrophysiologist troubleshoots wiring and the influence of EMFs on a reading electrode.

So what you're saying is that I need to google it for myself. Okay, whatever.

wikipedia.org has a pretty good intro:

Electrophysiology is the study of the electrical properties of biological cells and tissues. It involves measurements of voltage change or electrical current flow on a wide variety of scales from single ion channel proteins to whole tissues like the heart. In neuroscience, it includes measurements of the electrical activity of neurons, and particularly action potential activity.

more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrophysiology

Okay, so you work with equipment like EKG, ECG, EMG, etc., and especially the electrical connections to the body. Got it.

You can pick up a good basic knowledge of electronics by self-studying with the book, "The Art of Electronics" by Horowitz and Hill. This will take you from the basics up through opamp circuits, basic digital circuits, and more. One strength of this book is that it lists practical components that you would actually use in real circuits, instead of just using ideal components and leaving out the real-world considerations. We had a thread about the book a while back here in the EE forum:

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=178516

Take a look at a copy at your local technical library, to see if it might be a good learning resource for you.

 

[kingdomof]

Thanks!