Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Emory University received a $577,611 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853), effective January 23, 2026, with completion targeted for December 31, 2030. The award supports fundamental neuroscience research investigating the cellular mechanisms underlying resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) activity patterns in the brain. Specifically, the research will utilize an innovative methodology combining simultaneous wide-field optical imaging (WOI) and RS-fMRI to identify cell-type-specific contributions to observed intrinsic neural activity patterns and to characterize the relationship between transient network activations in excitatory and inhibitory neurons and large-scale brain activity detected through RS-fMRI.

The research deliverables include scientific findings and analysis regarding three key neurophysiological features: sparse transient network activation patterns, signal amplitude variability across brain regions and time, and cortical wave propagation concurrent with network interactions. Through dual-modality imaging experiments, the project will advance understanding of the mechanisms coordinating whole-brain spatiotemporal patterns of intrinsic activity and provide mechanistic insight into how altered patterns observed in neurological and psychiatric disorders should be interpreted. These research products contribute to NINDS's mission to reduce the burden of neurological disease through fundamental knowledge advancement regarding brain and nervous system function.