| NSF Org: |
TI Translational Impacts |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | June 29, 2016 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | June 29, 2016 |
| Award Number: | 1622525 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Jesus Soriano Molla
jsoriano@nsf.gov (703)292-7795 TI Translational Impacts TIP Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships |
| Start Date: | July 1, 2016 |
| End Date: | December 31, 2017 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $225,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $225,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
60 MARINE ST FARMINGDALE NY US 11735-5660 (631)393-6401 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
60 Marine Street Farmingdale NY US 11735-5660 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | STTR Phase I |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.084 |
ABSTRACT
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to dramatically improve the detection sensitivity of resting-state fMRI. In recent years, large-scale ($150M- $1.2B USD) and long-term (10-12 year) international investments (e.g., NIH Human Connectome Project, White House BRAIN Initiative, UK Biobank, EU Human Brain Project) have expanded the reach of human fMRI to include faster pulse sequences and more complex analytic tools, higher field strength, integration with multi-scale experiments and modeling, and an emphasis on integration of data across multiple scanner/study sites. This generation of fMRI studies goes beyond the original simplistic models that focused upon activation maps, to investigate connections, networks, and dynamic nonlinear circuits in the brain. New ways of thinking are being applied to some of our highest-impact areas of societal interest, ranging from clinical depression, addiction, autism, and brain injury, to age-based cognitive degeneration. However, while fMRI research dramatically accelerates, quality assurance protocols for the MRI machines needed to generate these findings have lagged far behind, relying upon static phantom protocols no longer fully capable of targeting quality control issues relevant to current and emerging applications. The Stony Brook Dynamic Phantom is designed to address this urgent need.
The proposed project builds upon a 1st generation working prototype of the dynamic phantom (patent pending), to develop engineering improvements in the 2nd generation prototype necessary to increase its durability and reliability in preparation for commercialization. The six objectives addressed in Phase I are associated with increasing precision, accuracy, reliability/reproducibility, and usability from the perspectives of both the phantom's hardware and software.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging fMRI has rapidly become the dominant tool in human neuroscience research including the Human Connectome Project. In recent years large-scale investments have expanded the reach of human fMRI to include faster pulse sequences, more complex analytic tools, higher magnetic field strength, and integration with multi scale experiments. With higher accuracy of brain activation detection, fMRI is poised to become a transformative technology in the areas of psychiatric and neurological diagnostics. In order to achieve this goal, calibration technologies are urgently needed to fine-tune fMRI scanner for optimal sensitivity.
The Stony Brook Dynamic Phantom is designed to address this urgent need, building upon a first-generation working prototype of the phantom with patent pending. This NSF-STTR project enabled us to improve our prototype in terms of resolution, durability, and user friendliness. We improved the design of the rotating gel cartridges, we increased the accuracy and reliability of the MRI compatible air motor and gearbox, and we characterized the long-term stability of the gel cartridges. In addition, we created software that controls the phantom and analyzes the resulting data to allow the user optimize the fMRI scanning parameters for their particular need. Further steps towards commercialization of the Stony Brook Dynamic phantom will be to deploy the second-generation devices to three fMRI imaging centers so that we can receive feedback from users.
Last Modified: 04/11/2018
Modified by: Alan Kriegstein
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