The Scintillion Institute’s Nathan Shaner and his collaborator Ute Hochgeschwender at Central Michigan University became recipients of a National Science Foundation (NSF) BRAIN EAGER grant for developing non-invasive optogenetics based on bioluminescence.

The NSF "BRAIN EAGER: Genetically Encoded Light Sources for Non-Invasive Optogenetics”  award is for $300,000 over a two-year period.
The investigators will build on the highly innovative concept of combining optogenetics with bioluminescence to explore realization of light-driven genetically targeted neuronal activation and silencing for non-invasive light activation of optogenetic sensors in clinical settings. If successful this will be a key threshold advance that will provide the foundation for new technologies enabling minimally invasive and highly efficient diagnostics and therapies.