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NIH grant 1R42NS147759-01: Bionic Imaging Platform (BIP) for high performance functional imaging in freely navigating rodents
Institute: {'code': 'NS', 'abbreviation': 'NINDS', 'name': 'National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke', 'admin_org_id': '12500053', 'admin_funding_url': ''}. PI: Aaron Michael Kerlin. Award: $479794.
Start: 2026-09-11T00:00:00.
PROJECT SUMMARY
Understanding how the brain computes sensory perception, emotion, and cognition requires monitoring neural
circuit activity at single-cell resolution across multiple brain regions and time scales. Modern optical tools like
mesoscopic two-photon (2P) and high-speed voltage imaging allow researchers to capture these dynamics with
unprecedented precision. However, these high-performance systems are typically benchtop devices that require
head fixation, severely limiting the behavioral contexts in which brain activity can be studied. While some
experiments use virtual reality to simulate natural behaviors in head-fixed animals, these simulations often fail to
capture real-world sensory-motor dynamics. Miniaturization of imaging tools has been attempted, but such
attempts typically result in sharp tradeoffs in device performance. Further, many critical imaging approaches
cannot be miniaturized effectively.
To address this gap, we propose a novel strategy: the Bionic Imaging Platform (BIP) — a robotic, animal-
actuated optical system that follows a mouse’s head as it moves naturally through a 2D arena. This approach
enables the use of full-scale, high-performance benchtop imaging systems during free behavior. In the fast track
Small business technology transfer research (STTR) proposal we will: In Phase I (1) validate in vivo 2P imaging
in mice navigating an oval track using the BIP prototype, and (2) develop a modular optical headstage that
accommodates widely used benchtop imaging systems, ensuring optical stability during movement. In Phase II,
we will (1) optimize the BIP's feedback controller for low-latency, naturalistic motion, (2) integrate a full
mesoscopic 2P imaging system into the platform, and (3) perform in vivo imaging first under head-fixed
conditions, then during BIP-supported movement, with real-time motion correction. This project is a collaboration
between Objective Biotechnology Inc. and the University of Minnesota, combining commercial and academic
expertise in neurotechnology and optical systems engineering.document fetched 2026-09-20 02:42