2415645
Cooperative Agreement
Overview
Grant Description
SBIR Phase II: Ultrathin endomicroscope - The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to empower brain scientists with a high-resolution optical imaging instrument to reach currently inaccessible regions of the brain with minimal damage.
There are compelling reasons to conduct animal neuroscience research, including improving our understanding of biology, investigating the brain in action, and most importantly developing new therapies for diseases affecting the brain.
Animal neuroscience research contributes to studying potential new treatments for mental disorders like Alzheimer's disease which, according to estimates, will affect more than 10 million people in the US by 2050.
The availability of novel neuroscience imaging probes for animal studies could have a significant impact on the development of therapies and drugs to tackle mental disorders.
The proposed imaging approach will enable high-impact instrumentation for biomedical applications by advancing neuroscience through animal model studies.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will advance the design, optimization, and validation of a robust and compact commercial endomicroscope prototype instrument that is amenable for use with animal models in neuroscience labs.
The company’s key innovation is in achieving the fundamentally thinnest mechanism to acquire and transmit a high information content image in real time.
The ultrathin endomicroscope has a cross-area more than ten times smaller than the thinnest existing endoscope.
Current solutions are appropriate for insertion in large cavities but they produce excessive damage in applications such as deep brain imaging.
Furthermore, the ultrathin endomicroscope enables multiple 3D imaging modalities with micrometer resolution as well as arbitrary laser pattern projection for photo-stimulation.
The objective is to develop a new class of fundamentally less invasive techniques and to validate a prototype instrument in animal models.
It is anticipated that in-vivo imaging of neurons with subcellular resolution at depth will become routine with minimal tissue damage.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Subawards are planned for this award.
There are compelling reasons to conduct animal neuroscience research, including improving our understanding of biology, investigating the brain in action, and most importantly developing new therapies for diseases affecting the brain.
Animal neuroscience research contributes to studying potential new treatments for mental disorders like Alzheimer's disease which, according to estimates, will affect more than 10 million people in the US by 2050.
The availability of novel neuroscience imaging probes for animal studies could have a significant impact on the development of therapies and drugs to tackle mental disorders.
The proposed imaging approach will enable high-impact instrumentation for biomedical applications by advancing neuroscience through animal model studies.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will advance the design, optimization, and validation of a robust and compact commercial endomicroscope prototype instrument that is amenable for use with animal models in neuroscience labs.
The company’s key innovation is in achieving the fundamentally thinnest mechanism to acquire and transmit a high information content image in real time.
The ultrathin endomicroscope has a cross-area more than ten times smaller than the thinnest existing endoscope.
Current solutions are appropriate for insertion in large cavities but they produce excessive damage in applications such as deep brain imaging.
Furthermore, the ultrathin endomicroscope enables multiple 3D imaging modalities with micrometer resolution as well as arbitrary laser pattern projection for photo-stimulation.
The objective is to develop a new class of fundamentally less invasive techniques and to validate a prototype instrument in animal models.
It is anticipated that in-vivo imaging of neurons with subcellular resolution at depth will become routine with minimal tissue damage.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Subawards are planned for this award.
Awardee
Funding Goals
THE GOAL OF THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, "NSF SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH PHASE II (SBIR)/ SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAMS PHASE II", IS IDENTIFIED IN THE LINK: HTTPS://WWW.NSF.GOV/PUBLICATIONS/PUB_SUMM.JSP?ODS_KEY=NSF23516
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Boulder,
Colorado
80302-8021
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Modendo was awarded
Cooperative Agreement 2415645
worth $994,138
from National Science Foundation in August 2024 with work to be completed primarily in Boulder Colorado United States.
The grant
has a duration of 2 years and
was awarded through assistance program 47.084 NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships.
The Cooperative Agreement was awarded through grant opportunity NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase II Programs (SBIR/STTR Phase II).
SBIR Details
Research Type
SBIR Phase II
Title
SBIR Phase II: Ultrathin endomicroscope
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to empower brain scientists with a high-resolution optical imaging instrument to reach currently inaccessible regions of the brain with minimal damage. There are compelling reasons to conduct animal neuroscience research, including improving our understanding of biology, investigating the brain in action, and most importantly developing new therapies for diseases affecting the brain. Animal neuroscience research contributes to studying potential new treatments for mental disorders like Alzheimer's disease which, according to estimates, will affect more than 10 million people in the US by 2050. The availability of novel neuroscience imaging probes for animal studies could have a significant impact on the development of therapies and drugs to tackle mental disorders. The proposed imaging approach will enable high-impact instrumentation for biomedical applications by advancing neuroscience through animal model studies.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will advance the design, optimization, and validation of a robust and compact commercial endomicroscope prototype instrument that is amenable for use with animal models in neuroscience labs. The company’s key innovation is in achieving the fundamentally thinnest mechanism to acquire and transmit a high information content image in real time. The ultrathin endomicroscope has a cross-area more than ten times smaller than the thinnest existing endoscope. Current solutions are appropriate for insertion in large cavities but they produce excessive damage in applications such as deep brain imaging. Furthermore, the ultrathin endomicroscope enables multiple 3D imaging modalities with micrometer resolution as well as arbitrary laser pattern projection for photo-stimulation. The objective is to develop a new class of fundamentally less invasive techniques and to validate a prototype instrument in animal models. It is anticipated that in-vivo imaging of neurons with subcellular resolution at depth will become routine with minimal tissue damage.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Topic Code
BM
Solicitation Number
NSF 23-516
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 8/27/24
Period of Performance
8/15/24
Start Date
7/31/26
End Date
Funding Split
$994.1K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$994.1K
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
2415645
SAI Number
None
Award ID URI
SAI EXEMPT
Awardee Classifications
Small Business
Awarding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Funding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Awardee UEI
HRW3QRF7LP38
Awardee CAGE
91M70
Performance District
CO-02
Senators
Michael Bennet
John Hickenlooper
John Hickenlooper
Modified: 8/27/24