SBIR-STTR Award

Novel high-field MRI compatible subdural electrode and acquisition system for recording and stimulation in small animals
Award last edited on: 5/19/2023

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
NIH : NIMH
Total Award Amount
$226,517
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
242
Principal Investigator
Hernan Millan

Company Information

eMRI Systems LLP

41 Kinnaird Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
   (617) 417-9798
   info@emrisystems.com
   www.emrisystems.com
Location: Single
Congr. District: 07
County: Middlesex

Phase I

Contract Number: 1R43MH128138-01
Start Date: 9/13/2021    Completed: 8/31/2023
Phase I year
2021
Phase I Amount
$118,251
Preclinical small animal imaging makes valuable contributions to improving our understanding of human brain. Multi-modal imaging approaches to combine functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) with Intracranial Electroencephalogram (iEEG) provides an unparalleled view of the global network activity across cortical areas, revealing information at high temporal and spatial scales about functional connectivity and their intrinsic oscillatory properties, which is of vital importance in many branches of neuroscience and medicine. Despite this clear advantage, the use of iEEG-fMRI is limited in small animal research. The existing MRI compatible headstages on the market for small animals are inadequate to acquire high-fidelity iEEG-fMRI. Working within this premise, the long-term goal of this project is to develop a headstage for high-fidelity recording and stimulation in small animals. We propose to unlock high-fidelity iEEG-fMRI imaging paradigm leveraging our patented innovative MRI-compatible electrode- grid (PTFOS) which is based on organic-absorbable, stretchable, and conformable substrate for optimal safety, flexibility and performance with distinct advantages over other neural grids. Phase I of this application proposes to develop HF-2 acquisition prototype which will fit into animal MRI bore recording constraints and tests its feasibility in rats during high-field MRI (9.4Tesla) at Massachusetts General Hospital. Phase II focuses on adding stimulation module, commercialization and miniaturization of HF-2 into a tiny headstage. Public Health Relevance Statement Narrative: Preclinical small animal imaging makes valuable contributions to improving our understanding of human brain. This application proposes a patented imaging tool to unlock multi-modal imaging approaches in small animal that provides an unparalleled view of the global network activity across cortical areas.

Project Terms:
Adhesions ; Animal Experimentation ; Animal Experimental Use ; Animal Research ; Animals ; Boston ; Brain ; Brain Nervous System ; Encephalon ; Disease ; Disorder ; Drug abuse ; abuse of drugs ; abuses drugs ; Electrodes ; Electroencephalography ; EEG ; Electromyography ; Electrophysiology (science) ; Electrophysiology ; Neurophysiology / Electrophysiology ; electrophysiological ; Engineering ; Epilepsy ; Epileptic Seizures ; Epileptics ; Seizure Disorder ; epilepsia ; epileptiform ; epileptogenic ; Fruit ; dietary fruit ; Goals ; General Hospitals ; Human ; Modern Man ; Lead ; Pb element ; heavy metal Pb ; heavy metal lead ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; MR Imaging ; MR Tomography ; MRI ; Medical Imaging, Magnetic Resonance / Nuclear Magnetic Resonance ; NMR Imaging ; NMR Tomography ; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Zeugmatography ; Massachusetts ; Medicine ; Miniaturization ; Miniaturisations ; Mission ; Neurosciences ; neurosurgery ; Legal patent ; Patents ; Patients ; Polymers ; Primates ; Primates Mammals ; Publications ; Scientific Publication ; Rattus ; Common Rat Strains ; Rat ; Rats Mammals ; Research ; Safety ; Testing ; Thinness ; Leanness ; Tissues ; Body Tissues ; Work ; Gelfilm ; Film ; nerve injury ; neural injury ; base ; improved ; Brain imaging ; brain visualization ; Area ; Surface ; Clinical ; Phase ; nonhuman primate ; non-human primate ; data quality ; Genetic ; Exposure to ; tool ; Functional MRI ; fMRI ; Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; electrocorticography ; Electrocorticogram ; System ; Performance ; Animal Models and Related Studies ; model of animal ; model organism ; Animal Model ; neural ; relating to nervous system ; Stretching ; novel ; Property ; Thickness ; Thick ; Data ; Imaging Instrument ; Imaging Tool ; Imaging Device ; multi-modal imaging ; multi-modality imaging ; multimodality imaging ; Multimodal Imaging ; Modification ; Electroencephalogram ; Image ; imaging ; pre-clinical ; preclinical ; innovation ; innovate ; innovative ; clinically significant ; clinical significance ; Implant ; open source ; addiction ; addictive disorder ; prototype ; commercialization ; flexibility ; flexible ; animal imaging ; imaging system ; imaging study ; source localization ; imaging approach ; imaging based approach ;

Phase II

Contract Number: 5R43MH128138-02
Start Date: 9/13/2021    Completed: 8/31/2023
Phase II year
2022
Phase II Amount
$108,266
Preclinical small animal imaging makes valuable contributions to improvingour understanding of human brain. Multi-modal imaging approaches to combinefunctional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) with IntracranialElectroencephalogram (iEEG) provides an unparalleled view of the global networkactivity across cortical areas, revealing information at high temporal and spatialscales about functional connectivity and their intrinsic oscillatory properties, whichis of vital importance in many branches of neuroscience and medicine. Despite thisclear advantage, the use of iEEG-fMRI is limited in small animal research. Theexisting MRI compatible headstages on the market for small animals areinadequate to acquire high-fidelity iEEG-fMRI. Working within this premise, thelong-term goal of this project is to develop a headstage for high-fidelity recordingand stimulation in small animals. We propose to unlock high-fidelity iEEG-fMRIimaging paradigm leveraging our patented innovative MRI-compatible electrode-grid (PTFOS) which is based on organic-absorbable, stretchable, and conformablesubstrate for optimal safety, flexibility and performance with distinct advantagesover other neural grids. Phase I of this application proposes to develop HF-2acquisition prototype which will fit into animal MRI bore recording constraints andtests its feasibility in rats during high-field MRI (9.4Tesla) at MassachusettsGeneral Hospital. Phase II focuses on adding stimulation module,commercialization and miniaturization of HF-2 into a tiny headstage.

Public Health Relevance Statement:
Narrative: Preclinical small animal imaging makes valuable contributions to improving our understanding of human brain. This application proposes a patented imaging tool to unlock multi-modal imaging approaches in small animal that provides an unparalleled view of the global network activity across cortical areas.

Project Terms: