Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

York University has emerged as a world leader in cutting edge visual neuroscience research. York's Centre for Vision Research (CVR) is a leading institute worldwide engaged in neuroimaging research of human vision, and mentoring students and early career scientists in the most advanced vision neuroscience methods. York's NSERC funded Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) program focussing on "the Brain in Action" provides funding, resources, and international collaboration opportunities for highly qualified graduate and postdoctoral trainees. York's Vision: Science to Applications (VISTA) Program, funded by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF), has invested millions of dollars to recruit world-leading scientists to York's team of vision neuroscience faculty; provide scholarships, fellowships, and training resources to graduate and postdoctoral trainees; and to upgrade the MRI scanner at the York MRI Facility to provide a state-of-the art neuroimaging research and training centre. In order to fully capitalize on these exceptional investments, enhanced neuroimaging tools and infrastructure are critically needed at the York MRI facility. This proposal focuses on `vision in action' - understanding visual functioning in real world contexts, from sensation to perception, and from perception to action. This innovative research program aims to advance our understanding of visual-motor integration; functional segregation of object, feature, and motion perception in the brain; neuroplasticity and visually guided learning; visually-guided navigation and spatial cognition; and visually-guided attention in aging and brain disease. Success depends on innovation, creating ecologically valid visual stimuli, from navigating real world 3D environments to precision visual-motor reach and grasp learning in the MRI scanner. However, since reopening the MRI Facility after a two-year closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple research projects are on hold until the required MRI related equipment can be replaced, upgraded, and/or acquired. The requested infrastructure includes: 1) an MRI compatible high-definition LCD screen and 2) a state-of-the-art remote eye-tracking system, necessary for precision-visual neuroscience research; and 3) high throughput MR data analysis computing infrastructure necessary for data harmonization, reproducibility, and open science. The overarching goal of these infrastructure investments is to enhance York's status as a global leader in visual neuroscience research and optimize the training of next-generation neuroscientists.