Cooperative Agreement U01NS103517

This Project Grant award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), under the 21st Century Cures Act - Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative (CFDA 93.372), will fund the development and validation of a family of genetically encoded, fluorescent "chemogenetic" voltage sensors for in vivo brain imaging. The 3-year, $2,329,605 grant to Brown University aims to create improved far-red and two-photon compatible...

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke awarded Trustees of Boston University $595,774 on June 1, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853) to develop far-red microscopy techniques and genetically engineered voltage indicators for deep-tissue imaging of large neuronal populations in the mouse brain. The project develops two complementary microscope systems optimized for high-speed voltage imaging at...

This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) provides $434,716 to the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center to develop a set of optical tools for capturing and interpreting high-speed recordings of neural activity across the entire zebrafish brain. The key objectives are to create fluorescent voltage sensors, optical microscopes, and signal processing algorithms that can simultaneously monitor millisecond-scale bursts of neural...

This NSF Engineering Program award of $605,320 to North Carolina State University (NC State) supports the development of a flexible, FMRI-compatible neural probe with multi-modal sensing and modulation capabilities. The novel probe is designed to advance understanding of neural circuit dynamics and enable closed-loop neuromodulation for treating neurological disorders. Key product elements include: Flexible, multi-shank neural probe fabricated using polymeric materials to enable deep brain...

The National Institute of Mental Health awarded The Rockefeller University $1,443,030 on September 20, 2025, under Mental Health Research Grants (CFDA 93.242) to develop an optimized two-photon optical imaging system for high-fidelity population voltage imaging in intact neural tissue using genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs). The recipient will design and implement a two-photon multiplexing platform adapted to the unique requirements of GEVIs, incorporating a novel spike detection...

This $1,417,500 Project Grant awarded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the Trans-NIH Research Support program (CFDA 93.310) funds the development of "Electrified Cryo-EM", a novel tool that can kinetically trap biological systems in their metastable, non-equilibrium states. The research aims to unravel the structural changes in neurons during an action potential across multiple length scales, from voltage-gated channel proteins to the synaptic junction. Specifically,...

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded the University of Utah $616,000 on August 1, 2026, under the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative (Assistance Listing 93.372) to develop a high-throughput computational pipeline for rapid design of photocaged neuropeptides. The project addresses the NIH BRAIN Initiative goal to enable precise modulation of neural circuit components by creating a generalizable, open-source...

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke awarded William Marsh Rice University $105,652 on September 10, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853) to develop genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs) optimized for low-phototoxicity widefield one-photon imaging of neuronal activity. The project addresses a critical need for tools that capture rapid voltage changes underlying neuronal signaling without...

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke awarded Vanderbilt University $557,161 on July 10, 2026, under the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative (CFDA 93.372) to develop a novel bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) system for optimizing and imaging in vivo recording of neural activity in freely behaving animals. The project runs through June 30, 2029, with performance in Nashville, Tennessee. The award supports...

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke awarded the University of Washington $676,113 on September 1, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853) to develop improved red genetically-encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) for neural activity monitoring. The award funds machine-learning-guided protein engineering to overcome performance limitations in current red fluorescent GECIs such as JRCaMP1 and JRGECo1,...