Miniature cortex-wide brain imaging for freely behaving animals
Official title: High performance miniaturized microscopes for through skull cortex-wide imaging in freely behaving mice
Funded at Objective Biotechnology, INC. · NIH-11405060 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small, lightweight camera system (mini-mScope) will be developed to image wide areas of the cortex in freely moving mice to better understand how brain activity guides behavior.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Objective Biotechnology, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $386,174 |
| NIH project number | 5R41OD039877-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11405060 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are researchers studying brain function in animal models or translational researchers interested in cortex-wide imaging techniques.
✕Less likely to help
Patients are not directly involved in this preclinical hardware development.
What this research studies
This project aims to improve a tiny imaging device that can look across the cortex in awake, behaving mice. By upgrading the sensor and testing through the skull, researchers hope to capture clearer, broader brain activity during different behaviors. The work focuses on engineering, performance evaluation, and real-world use across various tasks to support wider adoption in neuroscience labs. The goal is to create a reliable tool that helps scientists study how cortical networks coordinate behavior in living animals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the mini-mScope could become a widely used tool for researchers to study brain activity in behaving animals, potentially accelerating discoveries about cortical coordination and learning.
How similar studies have gone: Previous beta testing showed the device works for dorsal cortex imaging, with identified issues to be addressed for broader testing.
Where this research is happening
-
Objective Biotechnology, INC.
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kodandaramaiah, Suhasa B — Objective Biotechnology, INC.
- Study coordinator: Kodandaramaiah, Suhasa B
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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.