The BRAIN Blog

In a recent paper published in JAMA Neurology, a collaborative team of ethics and neuroscience experts highlight key ethical issues surrounding neural device research and provide points to consider for researchers and others working in this space.

NINDS Director Walter J. Koroshetz, NIMH Director Joshua A. Gordon, NICHD Director Diana W. Bianchi, NIA Director Richard Hodes, NIAAA Director George Koob, NCCIH Director Helene Langevin, NIBIB Director Bruce J. Tromberg, NIDCD Director Debara L. Tucci, NEI Acting Director Santa Tumminia, NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, ORWH Director Janine A. Clayton, and OBSSR Director William T. Riley.

The recent conference for the Society for Neuroscience gave many BRAIN Initiative-funded researchers the chance to showcase their newly developed technologies that are helping to drive neuroscience forward. Nearly 30,000 people from 75 countries attended the meeting, held October 19-23 in Chicago, Illinois.

Two BRAIN Initiative scientists – Dr. Jin Hyung Lee and Dr. James Eberwine – are recipients of the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, originally established in 2004 to fund scientists from all career stages who propose “pioneering” research with broad scientific implications beyond their field. 

BRAIN is collaborating with Addgene to develop a plasmid/virus collection that will showcase and promote the dissemination of the diverse molecular tools developed under the NIH BRAIN Initiative. NIH will be seeking investigators who are interested in having their plasmids/viruses featured in the collection.

Please join us for exciting BRAIN-relevant events at the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago, Illinois (October 19-23, 2019).

The MacArthur Foundation has announced this year’s roster for their annual “genius” grant, including two researchers whose diligent and innovative work is part of the BRAIN Initiative.

Drs. Vanessa Ruta and Joshua Tenenbaum are two neuroscientists among the esteemed 26 fellows for 2019 whose work encompasses a broad expanse of topics ranging from writing, to music, geochemistry, criminal justice reform, and neuroscience.

Manipulating neural activity while measuring physiology in awake mice … Discovery of the brightest green fluorescent protein homolog to date … Assessing mouse neural dynamics with optoacoustic imaging … Establishing new open cloud services for brain data …

Repeated imaging of awake mice with multiple imaging modalities yields neural, microscopic, and mesoscopic data

Recent meetings of the NIH BRAIN Initiative Neuroethics Working Group (NEWG) and Multi-Council Working Group (MCWG) included discussion of improving scientific communication and engagement, presentations from neuroethics grantees, updates from BRAIN federal partners, and an overview of ongoing BRAIN efforts.

A recently issued BRAIN notice of funding opportunity (RFA-MH-20-140) targets development and validation of advanced human cell-based assays to model brain structure and function. Potential applicants may appreciate clarity on how the HHS policy on research involving human fetal tissue obtained from elective abortions may affect proposed research.