Optogenetics meets automated patch clamp

Channelrhodopsins have revolutionized the rapid, contactless modulation of action potentials, driving major advances in both neuroscience and cardiac research. In parallel, the automated patch-clamp (APC) technique has emerged as a powerful platform for drug screening. Here, we present the first biophysical characterization of the Na⁺-selective channelrhodopsin NCR1 2.0 (sharing the rhodopsin part sequences with HcCCR) and the highly Na⁺/Ca²⁺-conductive variant XXM 2.0, using APC combined with integrated optical stimulation. These channels are gaining increasing relevance, as Na⁺- and/or Ca²⁺-dependent signaling plays pivotal roles in cancer biology and the development of anti-cancer therapeutics. The combined application of optogenetics and APC offers a transformative approach to drug screening, opening new avenues for biomedical innovation. This vision also includes further optical manipulations such as uncaging of substances and molecular photoswitches in photopharmacology, which form synergistic approaches with APC.