Charge-based brain modeling tool using boundary element fast multipole method
Official title: Charge-Based Brain Modeling Engine with Boundary Element Fast Multipole Method
Funded at Worcester Polytechnic Institute · NIH-11359553 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher-led project will develop a new brain modeling engine that uses surface charges and fast multipole methods to simulate electric fields in the brain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Worcester Polytechnic Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Worcester, United States) |
| Project start | July 19, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $735,124 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH130490-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11359553 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients who might receive more effective brain stimulation therapies or benefit from improved diagnostic simulations.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not currently eligible for brain stimulation or imaging studies may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This grant funds development and dissemination of a novel BEM-FMM brain modeling engine to improve high-definition electromagnetic modeling beyond traditional FEM. The work focuses on modeling surface and volume charge interactions, speeding up computations, and adding adaptive mesh refinement and anisotropic tissue solvers. The goal is to enable more accurate, flexible simulations that could inform how brain stimulation and imaging technologies interact with brain tissue. The project will produce software that researchers and clinicians can use to study brain electric activity with greater spatial detail.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from more precise brain stimulation planning and improved understanding of brain electric activity.
How similar studies have gone: Previous FEM-based tools are widely used; this project proposes a novel BEM-FMM approach that is still being validated, offering potentially higher accuracy and speed.
Where this research is happening
-
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Makaroff, Sergey N — Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Study coordinator: Makaroff, Sergey N
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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.