Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill received a $570,612 Project Grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering under the Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health program (CFDA 93.286) awarded April 7, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2030. The project focuses on developing advanced volumetric ultrasound systems that enable precise functional imaging, targeting, and delivery of neurotherapies with real-time closed-loop feedback control for neuromodulation applications.

The research addresses critical limitations of current MRI-based neuromodulation approaches by developing next-generation volumetric ultrasound tools capable of identifying relevant brain circuits, simultaneously targeting multiple brain locations, and establishing real-time closed-loop interaction between imaging and neuromodulatory systems. The project delivers technological innovations that improve spatial and temporal targeting capabilities compared to conventional focused approaches, enabling better functional modulation through simultaneous multi-region stimulation and real-time functional ultrasound imaging that measures transient changes in blood volume at high spatiotemporal resolution. These deliverables support the program's mission to transform disease prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment through biomedical imaging and bioengineering technology development.