# The Development of Tabletop Brain-Mapping Platform

> **NIH NIH R43** · TISSUEVISION, INC. · 2022 · $442,695

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders place an enormous burden on society and have proven
to be among the most challenging areas for which to develop a therapeutic. A major reason for
this is that the brain is a complex, 3D, multiscale organ, with a heterogenous distribution of
components across hundreds of brain regions. Extensive BRAIN Initiative efforts are underway
to map this complexity by conducting surveys of connectivity pattern and cells types. Digital
brain atlases such as the Allen Mouse Brain CCF v3.0 have become essential tools in organizing
the results of these endeavors.
The availability of the Allen CCFV3.0 and whole-brain surveys are transforming CNS studies.
However, brain mapping still too frequently requires access to expensive equipment, specialized
techniques, and dedicated personnel. Moreover, many newer techniques are incompatible with
established histology protocols, which severely limits the contribution of foundational
techniques to brain mapping efforts. In addition, the tedious manual production of slides
remains a significant obstacle to high throughput histology. These difficulties present a
significant barrier to the field and hinders progress in understanding the CNS.
This proposal will remove these barriers by developing an affordable, table-top hardware and
software mouse brain imaging and tissue processing platform accessible to the non-specialist
neuroscience lab. It is based on the proven microtomy, section capture, and slide mounting
technology contained in TissueVision's commercially successfully state-of-the-art multiphoton-
based TissueCyte platform. This proposal will extend the capabilities of our current system and
extend it to sections as thin as 15 microns and replace the TissueCyte's advanced multiphoton
imaging with less expensive block-face imaging. In Phase II we will be package the integrated
tissue processing technology into a convenient, compact instrument. This table-top, affordable
device will combine the ease of working from 2D sections with the power of 3D brain analyses
and help propel forward the development of new therapeutics.
This product will be brought to market by a team of world-class experts at TissueVision who
have successful commercialization experience in instrumentation for high throughput histology
and brain mapping. We will be aided by a superb network of partners in leading neuroscience
labs who will beta test the product and provide crucial feedback in Phase II to ensure a
successful product launch and acceptance into the marketplace.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10487512
- **Project number:** 5R43MH129132-02
- **Recipient organization:** TISSUEVISION, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Timothy M. Ragan
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $442,695
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-10 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10487512

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10487512, The Development of Tabletop Brain-Mapping Platform (5R43MH129132-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10487512. Licensed CC0.

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