Neural Activity Imaging and Sensing System Using Multifunctional Diamond Nanosens

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In this Small Business Innovation Research program, we will develop an optical imaging system that uses diamond nanosensors for high-speed parallel recording of neural activity in brain tissue in in vitro and in vivo animal models. The study of neural circuitry is one of the primary drivers in the development of effective treatments and extends our understanding of neurological disorders such as mental illnesses, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and epilepsy. Mental disorders affect one out of every four Americans and cost the US economy over 100 billion a year, with depression being the leading cause of disability. Although neuroscientists have intensively investigated neural circuits and their relation to behavior for decades, current tools hinder progress in this technically challenging field. Capturing the activity of thousands and even millions of cells in real time over a wide field of view (tens to hundreds of micrometers) while resolving features be