Measuring how brain cells process signals with large-scale neurotransmitter imaging
Official title: Measuring input-output operations of cortical neurons with large-scale neurotransmitter imaging
Funded at Allen Institute · NIH-11009701 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are developing new imaging tools to map how individual brain neurons integrate thousands of signals and produce outputs in behaving mice.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Allen Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,068,000 |
| NIH project number | 4DP2NS136990-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11009701 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with neurological conditions who may benefit from improved brain-interface technologies or future therapies that rely on understanding cortical neuron signaling.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals or researchers studying non-human models without a human disease focus may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to illuminate how neurons in the cortex convert many inputs into actions by using bright, genetically encoded sensors for neurotransmitters and a high-speed microscope. The approach will image thousands of synaptic inputs and outputs inside single neurons while mice behave, helping explain brain function at a mechanistic level. The results could guide the design of brain–machine interfaces and other therapies that need direct neuron communication. The work builds on prior neuroscience methods and advances to capture dynamic neural signaling in live animals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could enable better brain-machine interfaces and more precise interventions for neurological conditions by revealing how neurons process information in real time.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that advanced neurotransmitter indicators and high-speed imaging can reveal neural signaling dynamics, with growing success in translating these tools to understanding brain function.
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.