The BRAIN Blog

A Neuroethics Workgroup will assist the NIH BRAIN Initiative in handling issues and problems involving ethics…

Candidate viral entry receptor for Zika Virus in neural stem cells identified… researchers create 3D topographical map of motor cortex output projections… discovery of new type of On bipolar cell and spatiotemporal wiring specificity in retinal computation of direction…

A candidate entry receptor for Zika virus in neural stem cells may be linked to microcephaly.

In a recent “Dear Colleague Letter” (DCL) the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced funding opportunities for Innovative Computational Infrastructure for Understanding the Brain, directed to support initial exploratory actions for creating and sharing computing resources for studying the brain.

Controlling neurons with radio waves…inhibition drives whisking behavior in mice…a new type of bright, fast, red fluorescent protein voltage indicator.

Radio waves regulate feeding behavior in mice by turning hypothalamus neurons on or off

Dozens of scientists from around the world gathered in Baltimore this month to discuss ideas for ambitious global neuroscience projects

The articles cover a wide range of topics related to BRAIN Initiative goals, from multi-scale neural recordings to deep brain stimulation to technologies for recording activity in human brains such as EEG and ECoG.

The journal IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering devoted their March issue, 22 articles in all, to BRAIN Initiative research. “These articles reflect a rich spectrum of BRAIN research on neurotechnologies for recording, imaging, interfacing and modulating the brain at multiple scales,” write the editors.

The NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research, a group of institutes, centers, and offices that have provided financial support to the NIH BRAIN Initiative, is advertising a Request for Applications (RFA) for training programs in computational neuroscience.

Formal letter of agreement describes new partnership with Lundbeckfonden to support the involvement of researchers at Danish institutions in the BRAIN Initiative.

The 10 NIH Institutes and Centers invested in the BRAIN Initiative recently announced a new international partnership, formalized by a letter of agreement, with Lundbeckfonden (the Lundbeck Foundation) to support the involvement of Danish researchers in the NIH BRAIN Initiative.

Widespread delivery of genes across the blood brain barrier…light-activated glutamate receptors become more specialized, used in vivo for first time…manipulations of intraocular pressure are used to measure intracranial pressure…researchers discover new types of retinal ganglion cells.

Designing a more efficient way to transfer genes to neurons throughout the brain

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.