Project Grant R01NS144424

Grant Award Summary

The University of Texas at Austin received a $541,700 Project Grant 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), awarded June 12, 2026, with a completion date of May 31, 2031. The project focuses on developing advanced quantitative imaging techniques to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF) during stroke. The research addresses critical limitations of existing laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) by developing two primary innovations: a new approach utilizing within-exposure laser intensity modulation to directly capture the intensity autocorrelation function without assumptions about signal characteristics, and a computational framework to extend surface-based imaging to three-dimensional depth-resolved blood flow measurement.

These research deliverables will enable quantitative cerebral blood flow comparisons across subjects and longitudinal tracking of changes, capabilities currently unavailable through existing LSCI methods. The project will apply these advanced imaging techniques to evaluate chronic cerebral blood flow alterations in stroke models, supporting preclinical research efforts to monitor treatment effectiveness and understand vascular reorganization's role in functional recovery. The research is conducted at UT Austin's Austin, Texas facility and represents fundamental advancement in neuroimaging methodology relevant to the NINDS mission of reducing the burden of neurological disease.