Award
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health 5DP1AT011991-05
Fusion of nanomagnetic and viral tools to interrogate brain-body circuits
Recipient
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Award Amount
$977,130.00
Ceiling
$977,130.00
Awarded
July 30, 2025
Identifier
5DP1AT011991-05
Development of a species-agnostic framework combining magnetic nanomaterials and viral vectors to remotely modulate specific cells in peripheral organs and brain, applied to study gut-brain circuits and their influence on behavior and neurological conditions.
Description
This project aims to develop a broadly applicable platform for targeting and modulating activity of neurons and other electrogenic cells anywhere within the body. It will be applied to investigate circuits connecting the enteric (gut) neurons to the midbrain pathways, providing insights into gut-brain interactions affecting dopamine-dependent behaviors. The technologies developed could lead to organ-centric therapies for neurological and mental conditions.