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Chronic Deep-Brain Micro-Endoscopy in Behaving Animal Models: Advancing Holographic Endoscopes Along the Path to Global Availability.

Project description

Peering deeper into the brain

One of science’s biggest problems is understanding how the brain functions, particularly when it comes to observing activity in deep brain regions without harming them. High resolution, minimal invasiveness, and long-term monitoring are difficult to achieve with current imaging techniques. The EIC-funded NEUROGATE project is developing a holographic endoscope that is based on a hair-thin optical fibre. Chronic, high-resolution imaging of neuronal activity in freely moving animal models is made possible by NEUROGATE, which improves essential technologies including bending-resilient fibres and sophisticated brain interfaces. The project's goal is to commercialise this instrument, which will open up new avenues for biomedical research and provide information on how the brain functions in both healthy and diseased conditions.

Objective

Utilising a hair-thin multimode optical fibre, the holographic endoscope allows minimally invasive, high-resolution in-vivo imaging at subcellular levels across any brain structure. The NEUROGATE project will significantly enhance the potential of this breakthrough technology for biomedical imaging by commercialising critical innovations in holographic endoscopy, developed through the prior ERC-PoC projects WOKEGATE and StrokeGATE. The innovations include bending-resilient fibres and brain interfaces, enabling chronic studies, minimising tissue damage and providing flexibility in reconnecting with the region of interest. They make holographic endoscopy the breakthrough technology which enables chronic in-vivo imaging of neuronal signalling and structural connectivity in deep brain regions of freely moving animal models, overcoming several limitations of current technologies. NEUROGATE brings together three academic partners and a commercial venture to validate the system under real-world conditions and achieve TRL6, spinning out the new technology across biomedical research sector, where its potential market exceeds €850 million. This novel tool aims to transform neuroscience by enabling chronic in-vivo monitoring of vitally important brain processes at the microscopic level in both healthy and diseased states, with broad applications in research and medicine.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-EIC - HORIZON EIC Grants

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-EIC-2024-TRANSITION-01

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Coordinator

LEIBNIZ-INSTITUT FUER PHOTONISCHE TECHNOLOGIEN E.V.
Net EU contribution
€ 499 687,50
Address
Albert Einstein strasse 9
07745 Jena
Germany
Region
Thüringen Thüringen Jena, Kreisfreie Stadt
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost
No data

Participants (3)