Tabletop brain-mapping platform for accessible 3D tissue analysis
Official title: The Development of Tabletop Brain-Mapping Platform
Funded at Tissuevision, INC. · NIH-11337434 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small, affordable tabletop system aims to map the brain in 3D by measuring many proteins and RNAs, making advanced brain science more available to researchers and patients in the long run.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tissuevision, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newton, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 10, 2021 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,438,419 |
| NIH project number | 5R44MH129132-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11337434 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable at this stage; the grant targets tool development for researchers studying brain disorders.
✕Less likely to help
Patients will not directly participate in this project; focus is on device development and methods.
What this research studies
This project develops a user-friendly tabletop device that scales spatial biology methods to whole-brain materials. It focuses on integrating multi-protein and mRNA detection in thick brain tissue, which could accelerate discoveries about brain disorders. By reducing cost and technical barriers, it seeks to enable broader laboratories to map brain regions in 3D and visualize complex cellular patterns. The work is geared toward translating advanced brain-mapping techniques into practical tools that could inform future research and patient therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the platform could speed up understanding of brain organization and disease, potentially guiding new treatments in the long term.
How similar studies have gone: Other brain-mapping efforts show promise, but affordable tabletop solutions remain a developing area with potential for broad impact.
Where this research is happening
-
Tissuevision, INC.
Newton, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ragan, Timothy M. — Tissuevision, INC.
- Study coordinator: Ragan, Timothy M.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Creating a tabletop platform for brain mapping
This study is working on a new, easy-to-use tool that helps scientists create detailed 3D maps of the brain, which is important for understanding brain disorders, making it quicker and cheaper for researchers to learn about how the brain works.
-
A new method to analyze brain tissue for Alzheimer's Disease
This study is looking at brain tissue samples from people with Alzheimer's Disease to find important clues about how the disease works, and it’s designed to help researchers better understand what causes it so they can improve care for patients like you.
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.