The Zanos Lab is proud to announce the award of €500,000 from the Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus to establish the Translational Neuroscience and Behavioural Pharmacology Research Center (TRACER). This infrastructure grant will establish Cyprus’s first comprehensive neuropharmacology and systems neuroscience research facility, positioning our laboratory and the University of Cyprus at the forefront of translational brain research. TRACER represents a paradigm shift in our capacity to investigate neural mechanisms underlying psychiatric and neurological disorders.
The TRACER center will integrate advanced technologies including:
- Multi-fiber photometry systems for real-time monitoring of neural circuit activity across multiple brain regions in rodents.
- Wireless miniscope calcium imaging for longitudinal monitoring of neural activity in freely behaving animals.
- Advanced electrophysiology platforms with dual-channel patch-clamp and field potential recording capabilities
- Behavioral pharmacology operant conditioning chambers for investigating addiction and reward mechanisms
- Integration with existing infrastructure including EEG/EMG systems and comprehensive behavioral testing batteries
TRACER will enable investigation of previously inaccessible research questions in Cyprus by providing real-time, multi-modal neural monitoring during complex behavioral paradigms. This approach is essential for understanding neuropsychiatric disorders where symptoms emerge from dysfunctional interactions across multiple neural circuits.
Building on our laboratory’s track record of breakthrough discoveries—including the identification of ketamine metabolites now in Phase II clinical trials for depression treatment—TRACER will accelerate therapeutic discovery and translation from preclinical findings to clinical applications.
This grant was awarded under the Research Promotion Foundation’s “RESTART 2016-2020” program, Pillar I (Smart Growth), specifically targeting research infrastructure development. The award reflects the exceptional scientific merit and strategic importance of establishing advanced neuroscience capabilities in Cyprus.