Automated neural identification across species and development
Official title: CRCNS: Automated neural identification - individuals, development, and species
Funded at University of Massachusetts Amherst · NIH-11537819 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A computer-driven project to map and track every neuron in molluscs’ brains as they grow and evolve, to better understand how brains stay organized over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Amherst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hadley, United States) |
| Project start | August 6, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $202,066 |
| NIH project number | 1R01NS153765-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11537819 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not a patient study; not applicable.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient involvement in this computational atlas project.
What this research studies
This project develops new computational tools to identify and follow individual neurons in mollusk brains across development and evolutionary time. By expanding an existing platform called FishExplorer to include molluscs, researchers will build a comprehensive molluscan cellular atlas. The work aims to reveal how neuron identities are conserved while new neurons are added during growth, which relates to understanding nervous system function and disease. The project leverages advanced algorithms to trace neuron addition and compare brain organization across species.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could illuminate fundamental brain design principles that influence neurological and psychiatric disease research.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work with neuronal atlases and cross-species brain comparisons has shown promise in revealing conserved patterns across evolution.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Hadley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Katz, Paul S — University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Study coordinator: Katz, Paul S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
New England Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases (NEWVEC)
A center in New England will develop and test practical ways to prevent tick bites and reduce diseases from ticks, while training public health workers and engaging communities.
-
Understanding how minority stress affects cannabis use in sexual minorities
A research project follows young adult sexual minorities to see how daily stress and coping help explain cannabis use and related problems.
-
A non-contact way to measure stiffness in hydrogel scaffolds for tissue engineering
A new method uses 2D acoustic force elastography microscopy to measure how stiff hydrogel scaffolds are, without touching them, to help tissue engineering efforts.
-
Nanopore Tweezers to Study Kinase Movements and Find Allosteric Inhibitors in Cancers
A new technology uses nanopore tweezers to watch how cancer-related kinases move in real time and to screen for drugs that stop them by binding at sites away from the active site.
-
Promesa: Urban gardens and peer nutrition to help people with HIV in the Dominican Republic
A unified program uses urban gardening and peer nutrition counseling to help people living with HIV who are food insecure in the Dominican Republic improve their health and HIV outcomes.
-
New England Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases (NEWVEC)
A regional center in New England will develop better ways to protect people from ticks and other disease-carrying insects, train public health entomologists, and involve communities to reduce tick bites and Lyme disease.
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.