The BRAIN Blog

The fourth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group for the NIH BRAIN Initiative provided feedback on concepts for new funding opportunity proposals for fiscal year 2017, introduced the possibility of a new federal partner, addressed neuroethical plans, and contemplated the long-term future of the Initiative.

Many of the more than 29,000 attendees of the most recent Society for Neuroscience (SfN) conference in Chicago took advantage of several opportunities to learn more about the exciting research funded by The BRAIN Initiative.

Microbubbles help lasers focus on neurons deep in the brain…New genetically encoded voltage indicator reveals individual action potentials…Scientists use RNA sequencing to classify neurons in primary visual cortex.

Microbubbles help lasers focus on neurons deep in the brain

Researchers have genetically modified the entire family of GABA_A receptor subtypes, which mediate inhibitory synaptic transmission in the brain, to make them controllable with pulses of light with high spatial, temporal, and biochemical precision.

Following the announcement of a Public-Private Partnership Program in early fall, NIH has released two notices of funding opportunities for small business concerns to develop the latest-generation implantable stimulating and/or recording devices for translational and clinical neuroscience research in humans.

NIH has issued additional Requests for Applications (RFAs) for the BRAIN Initiative that address critical components of the BRAIN 2025 Report due to their focus on tool development and mechanistic understanding of non-invasive neuromodulation techniques. Further, a re-issued opportunity expands support of early-stage research in large-scale recording and modulation. For the full list of BRAIN Initiative active funding announcements for fiscal year 2016, please visit our Active Funding Opportunities page. 

The program, part of NSF’s BRAIN Initiative efforts, will open new opportunities to understand complex aspects of neural and cognitive systems through integrative multidisciplinary approaches

A new White House Grand Challenge seeks to develop nanotechnology-based solutions to guide the future of computing.

NIH has re-issued three Requests for Applications (RFAs) for the BRAIN Initiative that address critical components of the BRAIN 2025 Report due to their focus on developing tools to analyze cells and circuits and technologies for large-scale recording and modulation.

Genetic analysis of different populations of neural stem cells indicates that one group of cells—the outer radial glia—gives rise to the majority of neurons in the upper layers of the neocortex that are associated with higher-level information processing and thinking, suggesting that these cells are important mediators of brain evolution.