Technical advances often lead to major breakthroughs in the understanding of complex processes. The Department of Physiology at UCLA has a strong tradition of developing and using optical methods to tackle fundamental unresolved physiological questions. These studies span the biological spectrum, from molecules and cells to organs and organisms.

The methods currently in use include 2-photon microscopy, spot confocal microscopy, line scanning confocal microscopy, resonance energy transfer microscopy (LRET, FRET & QRET), evanescent wave microscopy (aka TIRF), epifluorescence microscopy and photometry. In most cases the instruments are custom designed and combined with high resolution electrophysiology. Approaches to improve optical instruments and protein labelling are also being explored.