# Gene Coexpression Network Regulating Repetitive Behavior under Nutritional Change.

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA · 2024 · $182,860

## Abstract

This supplemental grant will remove the significant bottleneck in the 3-D imaging of cleared brains.
We request a Keyence BZ-X810 automated fluorescent microscope ($182,860). The considerable advantage
of this microscope is that it uses a structured UV light, which performs the optical sectioning as a confocal
microscope does, while at a significantly faster speed by using a CCD sensor instead of point scanning,
resulting in 20x faster scanning in BZ-X810 comparing with Leica SP8 confocal microscope, which we are
currently using. The current confocal setting (Leica SP8) would spend 40 hours per brain, but the proposed
system can scan it in 2 hours, and much less photobleaches fluorescent signals of the samples. The
scanning speed is a significant bottleneck for the proposed Specific Aim 2-2, “addressing if the dopaminergic
and/or GABAergic nervous systems are dysregulated in cavefish comparing with surface fish, and whether
these neural disregulations are adjusted under the ketogenic diet treatment”. We plan to scan 116 brains in
the Aim 2-2 as a minimum; thus, 232 hrs (10 full-days in BZ-X810) vs. 4,640 hrs (over 6 months in Leica
SP8) of scannings. We are able to reduce the duration of 3-D scanning with the current SP8 system by
restricting the imaging field. However, since we have discovered the brain-wide hyperactivities in the asocial
cavefish population, restricting the imaging fields will significantly limit our ability to identify the activity
signatures of neurons associated with stereotypic repetitive behavior. Above all, the requested equipment will
remove the current bottleneck in the 3-D imaging of cleared brains. In addition, since this microscope is easy
to use, we also offer spot uses of this BZ-X810 to microscope users. After our quick survey, we have heard
from a few potential users about quick 3-D scans of their samples. Our department chair is highly favorable to
support this supplemental grant, too.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11096925
- **Project number:** 3R01GM148960-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA
- **Principal Investigator:** Motoko Iwashita
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $182,860
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2023-09-25 → 2028-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11096925

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11096925, Gene Coexpression Network Regulating Repetitive Behavior under Nutritional Change. (3R01GM148960-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11096925. Licensed CC0.

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