Cooperative Agreement for In Vivo High-Resolution Imaging for Inner Ear Visualization (U01 Clinical Trial Required)

This grant is a cooperative agreement with the purpose of supporting the development of high-resolution imaging technology for the human inner ear. The focus of this grant, named the In Vivo High-Resolution Imaging for Inner Ear Visualization, is high risk clinical trials.

The projects eligible for this funding should aim to enhance the quality of current imaging techniques or create new methods to capture images of the inner ear's structures with more precision and detail. This will involve exploring both the structural and functional aspects of the inner ear, including the ability to view these aspects in motion.

In addition to enhancing imaging techniques, projects may also develop new imaging probes or contrast agents that can help in visualizing the inner ear's structures more clearly. The research that this grant supports is expected to significantly enhance the ability to observe auditory and vestibular components like hair cells, otoliths, membranes, ions, and vasculature in detail, in a clinical setting, in awake patients using non-invasive techniques.

A multidisciplinary team approach is encouraged for this project to utilize the skills of every team member accordingly. To be considered for the grant, the proposed studies must involve humans and aim to develop, advance, or test necessary technology. Any intermediate studies included in the project must clearly narrate how the proposed method will be applied in awake humans or discuss its limitations and usefulness in anesthetized humans. In summary, this grant aims to advance inner ear visualization using non-invasive techniques.