Computational Alleviation of Depth-dependent Degradation in Fluorescence Images

This technology includes an approach that dramatically lessens the effects of depth-dependent degradation in fluorescence microscopy images. First, we develop realistic ‘forward models’ of the depth dependent degradation and apply these forward models to shallow imaging planes that are expected to be relatively free of such degradation. In doing so, we create synthetic image planes that resemble the degradation found in deeper imaging planes. Second, we train neural networks to remove the effect of such degradation, using the shallow images as ground truth.

Improvement of Axial Resolution via Photoswitching and Standing Wave Illumination

This technology includes an illuminator and reflector that enables flexible standing wave illumination on an inverted microscope stand, and procedures for using such illumination to improve axial resolution in confocal or instant SIM imaging systems. The axial resolution in conventional fluorescence microscopy is typically limited by diffraction to ~700 nm. This method that improves axial resolution ~7-fold over the diffraction limit, and that can be applied to any fluorescence microscope.

Deconvolution Software for Modern Fluorescence Microscopy

This software invention pertains to Joint Richardson-Lucy (RL) deconvolution methods used to combine multiple images of an object into a single image for improving resolution in modern fluorescence microscopy. RL deconvolution merges images with very different point spread functions, such as in multi-view light-sheet microscopes, while preserving the best resolution information present in each image.

Software for Fully Automating Myocardial Perfusion Quantification

Software is has been developed and available for licensing that fully automates image processing for the quantification of myocardial blood flow (MBF) pixel maps from firstpass contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) perfusion images. The system removes the need for laborious manual quantitative CMR perfusion pixel map processing and can process prospective and retrospective studies acquired from various imaging protocols. In full automation, arterial input function (AIF) images are processed for motion correction and myocardial perfusion images are corrected for intensity bias.

Real-time Cellular Thermal Shift Assay and Analysis (RT-CETSA) for Research and Drug Discovery

Scientists at NCATS have developed a novel Cellular Thermal Shift Assay (CETSA), named “Real-time CETSA” in which temperature-induced aggregation of proteins can be monitored in cells in real time across a range of compound concentrations and simultaneously across a temperature gradient in a high-throughput manner. Real-time CETSA streamlines the thermal shift assay and allows investigators to capture full aggregation profiles for every sample.

The NCGC BioPlanet: A Computational Algorithm to Display Networks in Three Dimensions

This technology includes a novel computational algorithm and software implementation to map and display biological pathways and their relationship on the surface of a globe in a three-dimensional space. Currently, biological pathways and genes are represented as two-dimensional networks, which is not effective for displaying complicated relationships between pathways and genes.

NIMH DAO Toolbox: Data acquisition software that enables real-time sample analysis

This technology relates to a software package called NIMH DAO Toolbox that uses multithreading and a unique buffer structure to shorten gaps in sample readouts. Data acquisition devices running in continuous sampling mode collect data samples at a given sampling rate. The samples are typically stored in a memory buffer and read out at a regular interval. If the sampling rate is short enough, there can be a gap between the time the first sample is acquired and the time that sample is available to the user. This gap is typically on the order of tens of milliseconds.

A Mood-Machine-Interface as an Intervention for Emotional Self-Regulation in Real-Time

This technology relates to a closed-loop controller that is being developed as a phone app for emotional self-regulation in real-time. There is a significant association between emotion dysregulation and symptoms of depression, anxiety, eating pathology, and substance abuse, affecting millions worldwide. Consisting of a closed-loop controller that adjusts reward values in real-time according to individual mood response, the Mood Machine Interface technology compensates for adaptation to stimuli over time allowing it to generate substantial mood changes in the user.

Automatic brain lesion incidence and detection from multimodal longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging using SuBLIME

This invention relates to methods and algorithms that incorporate information from multiple imaging modalities to identify, estimate the size, and track the time course of brain lesions. Subjects develop brain lesions over the natural course of a disease. Currently, lesions are measured and tracked by a trained neuroradiologist using slice-by-slice inspection, a slow process that is prone to human error and hard to generalize to large observational studies.