# NeuroVu: A Novel Cloud-based Microscope for Remote Neurosurveillance of the Seizure-Brain Tumor Nexus

> **NIH NIH R21** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $204,688

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Recent clinical and preclinical studies have shown that seizures can adversely interact with brain tumors to sƟmulate tumor
cell proliferaƟon and invasion. Moreover, posƟctal hypoperfusion can give rise to hypoxia-driven radiaƟon resistance and
convenƟonal anƟ-seizure drugs can limit the efficacy of chemotherapeuƟc agents. CollecƟvely, these factors complicate
the clinical management of these paƟents and degrade their quality of life (QOL). Therefore, an understanding of the
physiology underlying the “seizure-brain tumor nexus” is crucial for treaƟng brain cancer paƟents and enhancing their
QOL. However, brain tumor associated seizures occur at random, creaƟng a major obstacle for studying them with standard
imaging technologies (e.g., fMRI/PET) which only offer a few hours of imaging. While EEG can circumvent this problem, it
does not provide the spaƟal specificity required to parse the seizure-tumor nexus. AddiƟonally, most imaging technologies
also require anesthesia, which confounds the assessment of seizure-induced hemodynamic (i.e. blood flow and
oxygenaƟon) abnormaliƟes. These hurdles limit our ability to image the seizure-brain tumor nexus in vivo and elucidate
the interacƟons between seizure-induced neuronal hyperexcitaƟons, posƟctal hypoxia, tumor cell proliferaƟon and
mobilizaƟon. To address these issues, we propose to develop a new class of remotely controlled, cloud-based,
mulƟcontrast miniaturized microscopes called “NeuroVu” for characterizing the seizure-brain tumor nexus without Ɵme
constraints in unanestheƟzed or freely behaving animals. NeuroVu will be capable of real-Ɵme dual channel fluorescence
(dual-FL), dual intrinsic opƟcal signal (dual-IOS) and laser speckle contrast (LSC) imaging to enable conƟnuous in vivo
“neurosurveillance” by imaging both, the seizure-associated hyperexcited neurovascular unit and its interacƟons with
proliferaƟng brain tumor cells. A variant of NeuroVu (NeuroVuopto) will be capable of optogeneƟc-based inhibiƟon of
neuronal hyperexcitability to directly assess the impact of seizures on brain tumor invasion. QuanƟfying these dynamic
interacƟons will provide invaluable insights into the seizure-brain tumor nexus, create a novel platiorm for developing
synergisƟc anƟ-seizure and anƟ-cancer therapeuƟcs, and pave the way for more efficacious management of paƟents with
brain cancer.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10952220
- **Project number:** 1R21NS138938-01
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Arvind P Pathak
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $204,688
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-03 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10952220

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10952220, NeuroVu: A Novel Cloud-based Microscope for Remote Neurosurveillance of the Seizure-Brain Tumor Nexus (1R21NS138938-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10952220. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*