Mission
Neurophotometrics LLC. (NPM) is a scientist-run company providing state-of-the-art optical equipment for both academic and industrial research applications.
In science, every discovery leads to new questions. The answers to many of these questions require novel tools and technologies. As most scientific research (the bench work) is conducted by junior researchers (ie graduate students and postdoctoral fellows), this group has a unique perspective as to the demand for new technologies and regularly spearheads their development.
At NPM, we aim to work with junior researchers to rapidly make their technological advancements available to a broad audience. Our objectives are to reduce redundancy in tool development, promote a more efficient use of federal and private funding, and to augment the stipends of junior researchers so that they become commensurate with the value they provide to society.
Through our symbiotic relationship with academia, we look to disrupt the scientific hardware industry by rapidly bringing new technologies to market in an affordable manner. This gives us a competitive advantage over most science technology companies who are forced to spend substantial funds re- or reverse engineering advances that have already been developed.
Leadership
Sage Aronson, PhD
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Sage founded Neurophotometrics while completing his PhD in Neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego where he developed a strong background in synaptic physiology, optogenetics, and calcium imaging. Through his work at the company, he has given dozens of invited lectures at universities around the world and has worked with hundreds of labs to further their research. He lives in San Diego with his wife, Kelsey, and their two puppies, Masha and Mitzvah.
Olivia Hon, PhD
Scientist
Olivia completed her PhD in the lab of Tom Kash at UNC Chapel Hill where she studied the role of neuromodulation in fear circuitry, primarily through in vivo imaging and rodent behavior. She has extensive experience in neuro circuit manipulation, and a particular love for all things calcium imaging. As a graduate student, Olivia developed a special interest in novel neurotransmitter biosensors, and has worked and published with pioneers in the sensor engineering field including Lin Tian and Yulong Li.
Olivia officially joined NPM in the winter of 2023, but her journey with photometry dates back to 2018 as an early adopter of the first generation (FP3001) photometry system, back when NPM was run out of a garage. She worked closely with Sage and the team at NPM to beta-test the second generation fiber photometry system, and to make sense of novel sensor signals at a time when field standards had not yet been established.
As a UC San Diego alum, Olivia is pumped to be back in San Diego where she resides with her partner, Adam, and their cats George and Charlie.
