The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) awarded a $127,465 Project Grant under the CFDA 93.286 "Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health" program to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) to develop a next-generation photoacoustic computed tomography through an ergodic relay (PACTER) device for noninvasive monitoring of cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2). The project aims to address the critical gap in accessible technologies for CMRO2 monitoring by designing and fabricating the PACTER device to enable high-resolution vascular imaging of oxygen metabolism. The device will be characterized and validated for CMRO2 monitoring in humans, utilizing measurements of blood volume, hemoglobin concentration, oxygen saturation, and blood flow in the carotid artery and internal jugular vein. The research is expected to facilitate progress towards improved diagnostics, treatment guidance, and surgical decision-making for neurology, neurosurgery, and critical care patients.