Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Colorado-Denver received a $491,215 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Biological Infrastructure under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074), awarded August 15, 2026, with a completion date of July 31, 2029. The grant supports collaborative research to develop DeepSPIRAL, an innovative two-photon single-molecule localization microscopy technique designed to achieve super-resolution imaging at significant tissue depths. This technology combines multiphoton and single-molecule localization microscopies to overcome current limitations in visualizing molecular dynamics deep within living tissue, particularly in the brain, where light scatter and aberrations prevent conventional microscopes from imaging beyond surface layers.

The primary deliverables include the development and validation of the DeepSPIRAL imaging technology, computational modeling advances, and novel measurements enabling unprecedented visualization of molecular organization and dynamics in deep neural tissue to support fundamental understanding of learning and memory mechanisms. Additionally, the project team commits to expanding its established mentoring and training efforts through interdisciplinary education in fluorescence microscopy, neuroscience, and materials science, with structured training and networking activities connecting graduate and postdoctoral researchers to industrial opportunities. The project's innovation in tool development and super-resolution imaging at depth is expected to generate applications extending beyond neuroscience into other biological systems, engineering, and chemistry domains.