# COBRE in Stroke Recovery Administrative Supplement:  Equipment

> **NIH NIH P20** · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · 2024 · $250,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
The Organizing Concept of the parent Phase II COBRE in Stroke Recovery is that better understanding of the
experience-dependent nature of neural plasticity allows us to investigate and exploit inherent neural recovery
processes, develop and translate novel mechanism-based interventional strategies, and ultimately improve the
function and quality of life of individuals recovering from stroke. And Overall Specific Aim 2 focuses on
strengthening innovative scientific cores that support/advance stroke recovery research – such as the Brain
Stimulation Core. Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) offers unprecedented spatial resolution and depth of
focus versus other methods of non-invasive brain stimulation - such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS),
transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), or deep brain stimulation (DBS) - and has been shown to be a safe and
effective method of delivering precise ultrasonic energy to the brain without causing tissue damage or lasting
neurological effects. The existing technology used by COBRE investigators has significant limitations. In direct
alignment with the Organizing Concept and Overall Specific Aim above, we propose to acquire the first-in-class,
state-of-the art transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) targeting, navigation, and sonication platform for
administration of noninvasive deep brain stimulation (the NeuroFUS Pro Neuronavigated tFUS System). This
platform will serve a pioneering suite of equipment designed to advance novel interventions for post stroke motor
recovery, cognitive impairment, depression, and pain using the emerging new technology of ultrasound. This
proprietary cutting-edge system incorporates technology that 1) allows for the advancement of focused
ultrasound interventions in a stroke population, 2) enables precision administration with sub-centimeter spatial
resolution of individual brain targets relevant to stroke recovery, 3) variable penetration depths ranging from 20-
80mm allowing for whole brain targets for cortical or subcortical sonication, 4) optimize sonication parameters
and compare the calculated exposure and dose parameters based on individual skull and brain anatomy, and 5)
administer tFUS using individual MRI targeting to conduct mechanistic and behavioral experiments that can
rapidly advance this area of research. Taken together, this advanced focused ultrasound platform promises to
make a large leap in the area of post-stroke rehabilitation by enabling access to previously inaccessible stroke-
related brain areas. It will allow us to create new potential treatments for stroke recovery and allow us to further
strengthen our research program through additional NIH funding opportunities. Such opportunities are a
cornerstone of our COBRE sustainability plan to continue to thrive after Phase III.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11037386
- **Project number:** 3P20GM109040-10S1
- **Recipient organization:** MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
- **Principal Investigator:** STEVEN A. KAUTZ
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $250,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2014-06-02 → 2025-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11037386

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11037386, COBRE in Stroke Recovery Administrative Supplement:  Equipment (3P20GM109040-10S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11037386. Licensed CC0.

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