Odor trail tracking explains how senses guide decisions and brain circuits
Official title: Odor trail tracking: a new paradigm to unveil algorithms and neural circuits underlying active sensation and continuous decision making
Funded at Harvard University · NIH-11404027 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying how mice actively smell and move to track a odor trail, revealing how the brain combines sense and action to guide continuous choices.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $809,064 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS128865-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11404027 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients themselves in this basic science project; findings may inform future clinical approaches for brain disorders affecting perception and navigation.
✕Less likely to help
Direct benefits to patients are not the primary aim of this basic science grant.
What this research studies
This grant explores how animals use sniffing and movement to follow odor trails and make ongoing decisions. Researchers will study the brain circuits and algorithms that support active sensing and continuous navigation in a natural-like setting. They will use behavioral tests, brain recordings, and molecular methods to test ideas about how bilateral sampling and memory influence trail tracking. The work aims to connect observable behavior with underlying neural mechanisms in a way that reflects real-life sensing, not just simplified lab tasks. The project is conducted at Harvard University under a team of three principal investigators.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of how the brain processes active sensing could inform treatments for conditions affecting navigation and perception.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in olfactory navigation and active sensing suggests this approach can reveal meaningful brain-behavior relationships, though the integration of multi-modal data is still developing.
Where this research is happening
-
Harvard University
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Murthy, Venkatesh N — Harvard University
- Study coordinator: Murthy, Venkatesh 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.