Multimodal electrode arrays for fast chemical sensing and electrical recording
Official title: Multimodal MEAs for Parallel Electrical Recording and Sub-second Neuromodulator Sensing
Funded at Dartmouth College · NIH-11461748 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new, combined sensor and electrode device is being tested to simultaneously record electrical brain signals and very fast chemical changes in the brain, in animal models.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dartmouth College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hanover, United States) |
| Project start | December 13, 2024 |
| Project end | October 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2027 |
| Award (this year) | $487,112 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH139342-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11461748 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals engaged in neuroscience research involving brain recording and chemical sensing or future translational efforts; however, this grant is currently animal-focused.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not involved in brain-implant research or who are seeking non-invasive studies may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to make a single implant that can both listen to brain activity and detect neuromodulators like dopamine on a sub-second timescale. By refining a low-temperature, carbon-coated microelectrode array, researchers hope to achieve stable, high-density measurements that work well with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry. The team will test the device in behaving animals to see how electrical signals relate to chemical signaling in real time. If successful, the platform could enable deeper understanding of brain chemistry during different behaviors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from faster, more precise brain-monitoring tools that integrate electrical and chemical signals, advancing neurophysiology research and potential treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work showed that integrated MEAs with neuromodulator sensing are feasible in animal models and can reveal relationships between brain signals and dopamine release.
Where this research is happening
-
Dartmouth College
Hanover, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fang, Hui — Dartmouth College
- Study coordinator: Fang, Hui
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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.