Wednesday, January 28, 2026 1/28/2026

Genetically-Encoded, Non-Invasive and Wireless Modulation of Calcium Dynamics in Astrocytes With Spatiotemporal Precision and Depth

Award Number: R01NS129888
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 02/01/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2028

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Genetically-Encoded, Non-Invasive and Wireless Modulation of Calcium Dynamics in Astrocytes With Spatiotemporal Precision and Depth - Abstract Astrocytes are the most abundant cell types in the brain and have long been thought as primarily passive support cells. Studies in the past two decades leveraging modern techniques have revealed crucial roles for astrocytes in neuronal circuit assembly, synaptic function and behavior. Aberrant astrocytic function is implicated in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, and astrocytes hold great promises as novel therapeutic targets for improving treatment efficacy. Despite this progress, a deeper mechanistic understanding of astrocytes' causative and correlative roles in operating neural circuitry and their contribution to behavior is still lacking. This knowledge gap is largely due to the lack of technologies to effectively manipulate astrocyte activity with cell-type and temporal precision. The physiological hallmark of astrocytes is their complex spatiotemporal patterns of intracellular and intercellular calcium signaling crucial to their bidirectional interaction with neurons. The objective of this project is to develop a non-invasive, wireless and genetically encoded actuator to modulate astrocytic activity with cell-type and temporal precision in vivo. Our approach, named FeRIC (Ferritin iron Redistribution to Ion Channels), combines the use of radiofrequency (RF) waves and ion channels to control membrane ion permeability non-invasively and wirelessly. The FeRIC technique utilizes RF waves to activate membrane proteins that are coupled to the endogenous cellular iron storage protein ferritin. Our preliminary studies have demonstrated the feasibility of FeRIC-mediated RF stimulation to modulate calcium activities in astrocytes and astrocytic networks that resembles those observed under physiological conditions. Further, FeRIC-mediated RF stimulation of astrocytes has been able to elicit neurotransmitter release and evoke action potentials in connected neurons. We aim to develop a set of molecular tools and characterize their abilities 1) to modulate global calcium signaling in astrocytes, 2) to modulate microdomain calcium activities in astrocytes and 3) to modulate astrocyte-neuron interactions at the tripartite synapses in vivo. If successful, the project will develop a non-invasive and genetically encoded molecular tool to modulate astrocytic activity with cell-type and temporal precision. We will elucidate the biophysical underpinnings of the mechanism. The project will have a broad impact to the study of the roles of astrocytes in health and disease.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $654,916 )
2026	2026	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, THE	1608 4TH ST STE 201	BERKELEY	CA	94710	ALAMEDA	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	4	1/21/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$654,916
														Subtotal = $654,916

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $659,907 )
2025	2025	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, THE	1608 4TH ST STE 201	BERKELEY	CA	94710	ALAMEDA	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	3	2/17/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$659,907
														Subtotal = $659,907

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $738,631 )
2024	2024	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, THE	1608 4TH ST STE 201	BERKELEY	CA	94710	ALAMEDA	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	2	2/7/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$685,328
2024	2024	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, THE	1608 4TH ST STE 201	BERKELEY	CA	94710	ALAMEDA	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	2	4/10/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$53,303
														Subtotal = $738,631

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $784,131 )
2023	2023	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, THE	1608 4TH ST STE 201	BERKELEY	CA	94710	ALAMEDA	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	1	1/25/2023	NEW	$784,131
														Subtotal = $784,131

Grand Total All Awards = $2,837,585

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Genetically-Encoded, Non-Invasive and Wireless Modulation of Calcium Dynamics in Astrocytes With Spatiotemporal Precision and Depth

Award Number: R01NS129888

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 02/01/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2028

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer