Project Grant R25NS142968

Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded Boston University Trustees a $250,000 Project Grant on February 23, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853) to develop and deliver a two-week intensive summer school program in neurovascular imaging. Administered by Boston University's Neurophotonics Center and extending through January 31, 2031, the program provides hands-on, practical training in optical neuroimaging technologies applicable to in vivo studies in awake behaving animals, complemented by macroscopic non-invasive optical imaging modalities applicable to human research. The training targets graduate students and postdoctoral fellows beginning their research projects, equipping them with practical skills in data collection and analysis while exposing participants to multiple imaging technologies relevant to neurovascular brain physiology research in both health and disease states.

The summer school addresses a critical gap between rapid technological advancement in microscopic and non-invasive optical neuroimaging—accelerated by the BRAIN Initiative—and the neuroscience community's capacity to effectively utilize these tools. By contextualizing imaging technologies within specific neuroscience questions developed by trainees and centered on NINDS-relevant neurovascular research topics, the program aims to enhance researcher competency in applying these sophisticated instruments while fostering awareness of each technique's inherent limitations to prevent unconscious bias in research applications.