Advanced optical tools to map brain activity in memory and decision-making
Official title: C5: Optical Instrumentation
Funded at Princeton University · NIH-11385529 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers at Princeton will develop and upgrade optical instruments to study how brain cells coordinate during working memory and decision tasks in animals.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Princeton University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Princeton, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 8, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $303,465 |
| NIH project number | 5U19NS132720-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11385529 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are researchers and labs using animal models to study memory, decision-making, and brain circuitry.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with no contact with animal research or hardware development would not directly participate.
What this research studies
This project focuses on building and refining high-tech imaging and perturbation tools, like multi-photon and optogenetic systems, to observe and influence neural activity across brain regions in real time. It also involves integrating real-time virtual-reality environments for animal behavior tasks to better understand memory and choices. The Optical Instrumentation Core will support researchers by providing cutting-edge hardware and methods for large-scale recording and controlled perturbations during experiments. The aim is to push the frontiers of how we visualize and manipulate brain circuits involved in complex behaviors. Overall, the core will continuously upgrade instrumentation to keep pace with advances in neurotechnology within the BRAIN Initiative.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit in the long term from more precise brain-miology tools that enable better understanding and eventual treatment of memory and decision-related disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work with advanced optical systems has enabled major leaps in mapping brain activity, though the field remains rapidly evolving.
Where this research is happening
-
Princeton University
Princeton, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tank, David W — Princeton University
- Study coordinator: Tank, David W
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.