Light Pipe Microscope for ultra-large-scale brain imaging
Official title: Light pipe microscope for ultra-large-scale cellular-resolution whole-neocortex two-photon calcium imaging of mammalian brains
Funded at Allen Institute · NIH-11597153 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new, lighter and cheaper microscope tool could help researchers image brain activity across large areas of the mouse brain in cellular detail.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Allen Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $338,206 |
| NIH project number | 7R01NS137022-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11597153 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients directly; aimed at advancing basic neuroscience methods in animal models that study behavior disorders.
✕Less likely to help
There is no direct patient participation or clinical testing in this grant.
What this research studies
This project develops a compact imaging device that uses glass light pipes to collect fluorescence, enabling large-scale, high-resolution visualization of neural activity across the cortex. It aims to standardize surgical and imaging workflows and compare performance with an established two-photon mesoscope. The work focuses on making wide-area brain imaging more scalable and accessible for routine use in research settings. While the primary work is methodological, the outcomes could enable future studies that connect brain activity patterns to behavior and disease models.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this platform could accelerate brain-wide studies in animals, helping researchers link neural activity to complex behaviors and disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous two-photon imaging tools are well-established; this project seeks to substantially improve field of view and efficiency, representing a notable but exploratory advance.
Where this research is happening
-
Allen Institute
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Podgorski, Kaspar — Allen Institute
- Study coordinator: Podgorski, Kaspar
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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.