We are introducing a new method for quantifying axonal projections called AxoDen. Axonal density is a measurement of how many axons are in a specific area of the brain. This is important for understanding how different brain regions are connected. This is a concept that I understood before however spending time learning about alternative methods was enlightening. Part of what made being on this project so engaging is that, once I was assigned to begin quantifying axonal projections through the means of current methods, I realized its inefficiency. 

Traditionally, axonal density has been measured by looking at fluorescence intensity under a microscope. This method is time-consuming and subjective, and it can be difficult to get accurate results. Other current methods often require much user expertise or are costly. AxoDen is a new method that is faster, more objective, and more accurate. This project was conducted over a series of different steps over several months. I learned many practical lab techniques, however I learned many smaller key skills with research. One of these being record keeping. When you are working on several projects at once, or you go back to review your previous notes, the information you write down is important because with so many steps it is easy to get lost and forget certain parts. 

AxoDen works by taking an image of a brain region and then using a computer algorithm to identify the axons through binarization. The algorithm then calculates the percentage of the image that is covered by axons. This percentage is a measure of the axonal projections. While collecting all these images it was crucial to make sure that everything was named correctly and stored under the right files. Otherwise this could lead to many inconsistencies and/or having to conduct certain parts of an experiment again. 

AxoDen is faster and more objective than traditional methods. It is also more accurate, because it is not affected by the researcher's judgment. AxoDen is also easy to use, and it is available for free to all researchers. It is great that this algorithm is easy for users however throughout this experience my coworker and I went through many learning curves. t goes to show how rigorous research can be if you want it to be reliable. 

Overall, AxoDen is a new method for quantifying axonal density that is faster, more objective, and more accurate than traditional methods. AxoDen is a valuable tool for researchers who are studying how different brain regions are connected. The main takeaway from this for me is that no one researcher can take on a project alone. Although there may be a lead researcher who inspired the idea, it takes a team to bring it to life.