FET Launchpad funding awarded to MESO-BRAIN partners

ICFO, a partner in EU-funded MESO-BRAIN project (GA # 713140) , has had a new related proposal selected for EU funding in the FET Launchpad scheme. MAFIn (Module for Aberration Correction and Fast Volumetric Imaging in a Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscope), builds on ideas that originated in the MESO-BRAIN project.

Starting in September, the SLN Lab team within the SLN facility led by Dr. Pablo Loza-Alvarez, will construct a modular microscope prototype that is capable of observing the fast cellular and intracellular dynamics that occur in biological samples in 3D with high resolutions and at speeds approaching 100vps. One example of a targeted application is fast functional imaging, such as the calcium dynamics in the brain.

The MAFIn module will be tested for measuring the fast electrical activity in connected functional 3D neural networks. A wide range of potential biomedical researchers interested in studying other fast biological dynamics in 3D are the intended users of the module.

In addition, the module will be developed to be easily attached to any existing Light Sheet Fluorescence microscope (LSFM) and intrinsically be able to correct for aberrations, providing sharp information of the fast 3D process to be studied.

Available only to existing or recently ended FET projects, the FET Launchpad scheme aims to encourage the development of innovative ideas emerging from a project to be accelerated through separate and targeted Launchpad funding.

MESO-BRAIN partners Aston University (working in collaboration with Laser nanoFAB GmbH) and Axol Bioscience, also succeeded in having their own FET Launchpad proposals selected for funding with Scaffold-Needs and COMMER-CELL respectively.