Research Grants

Extramural Funding                                                                                      

  • Principal Investigator, NIH R01 DC00365-08 (Barlow, PI). Reflex and Fine Force Dynamics of the Perioral System.    04/01/87-09/30/95
  • Co-Investigator.  NIH/NICHD R01 HD 223800 (Thelen - PI).    Dynamic Factors in the Development of Motor Skills in Infants.  03/01/92-02/28/97
  • Co-PI.   T32  NIH/NICHD  HD07475 (Thelen, PI; Barlow, Co-PI).  Training Program in Infant Perception-Action Systems.  04/01/95-11/30/99
  • Sponsor/Mentor for Anna Dusick, MD.  NIH/NICHD M01 RR00750-24S1.  General Clinical Research Center at the Indiana Univ Med Center:  Electrophysiology of Orofacial Reflex Systems in Neonates.  12/01/96-11/30/99
  • Co-Investigator, NIH R01 DE 013814 (Carol-Ann Trotman – PI) Functional Outcomes of Cleft Lip Surgery.  05/01/01-12/31/10 ($3.5M).
  • Principal Investigator, NIH R01 DC 003311(Barlow). Sensorimotor Control and Development of the Human Orofacial System. ($5.34M total costs). 01/15/02 – 06/30/14. 
  • Principal Investigator, NIH R01 DC003311-06 ARRA EQ Supplement (Barlow). Sensorimotor Control and Development of the Human Orofacial System. ($50,000). NIDCD. 2009-2010.                                                                                
  • Core PI (BioEngineering – Barlow), NIH P30 Research Center (Rice-PI). Biobehavioral Neurosciences in Communication Disorders. ($1.72M total costs). 01/01/03-12/31/12. Core 3: Engineering. $565K.                                                                                                                                                                                    
  • Core-Investigator, NIH R13 DC003383-11 (Sharon Moss - PI, Steven Barlow, Co-Investigator). ASHA Annual Research Conferences in Communication Sciences & Disorders. Renewal application. Barlow developed the 2008 Research Symposium Topic in Neurobiology of the Human Infant. 5-year renewal submitted Dec 1, 2006. ($170,000).                                                                                                                                                                      
  • Principal Investigator, K-CART (Autism) (Barlow, Anderson, M. Popescu). Neural and Pupillary Adaptation to Patterned Somatosensory Inputs in Adults with ASD. 10/01/11-12/31/13. $40,000.
  • Principal Investigator, Contract 70155, Epic Medical Concepts & Innovations. Somatosensory and Motor Function in Individuals with Cerebral Stroke Following TAC-Cell Array Stimulation. ($80,450). 03/01/14 - 12/31/16. Funded.
  • Co-Inv.    Mukherjee M, Barlow SM, Fayad P, Likens A, Wang Y.  (2024). University of Nebraska Collaboration Initiative Grant Application titled Tactile-augmented Walking in Stroke Survivors: Biomechanics and Brain Control.  $100,000.00.  Funded   July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025. #51228
  • U Collab Grant:  Title: Tactile-augmented walking in stroke survivors: Biomechanics and brain control.  Mukherjee M. (UNO). Collaborators – SM Barlow (UNL), Yingying Wang (UNL), C Nelson (UNL), Z Cheng (UNMC), P Fayad (UNMC).  Term – 7/1/2022 to 6/30/2024.  $100K
  • Principal Investigator, NIH R01 HD086088-01,  Co-PI (Jill Maron, MD). Project Title "Somatosensory Modulation of Salivary Gene Expression and Oral Feeding in Preterm Infants."  $2.8M.  04/01/16 – 03/31/23.  Funded.  No-cost extension.  
  • Principal Investigator (Steven Barlow), UNL Innovation Technology Award, $7,500.  Educational Tool in Human Neuroscience: Cerebral Oximetry to Assess Human Cognitive and Sensory Function Across the Lifespan in health and disease.  7-31-23.
  • Co-PI (M Mukherjee & SM Barlow), Project Title:  Improving gait outcomes in stroke survivors through tactile stimulation.  American Heart Association.  $750K.  (3-year, $250K/yr), 7-1-2020 to 6-30-2023.  LOI Proposal.  2020 Collaborative Sciences Award application, application number 20CSA35310327
  • Co-PI (M Mukherjee & SM Barlow), Project Title:  Improving gait outcomes in stroke survivors through tactile stimulation.  American Heart Association.  $750K.  (3-year, $250K/yr), 7-1-2021 to 6-30-2024.  LOI Proposal.  2021 Collaborative Sciences Award application.
  • PI (Mukul Mukherjee), Co-PIs (Steven Barlow, Yingying Wang).  Improving gait outcomes in stroke survivors through tactile stimulation: understanding the brain mechanisms.  American Heart Association AIREA.  Submitted Jan 12, 2022.   4-1-22 to 3-31-24.   $11,730, $154,000.  Funded.
  • Co-sponsor (Steven Barlow, Mukhul Mukherjee) for American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship (applicant Chris Engsberg).  Improving perception of gait asymmetry after stroke using tactile stimulation, 9-6-23.  Funded  Jan 2024.
  • Mukherjee M, Barlow SM.  Improving gait outcomes in stroke survivors through tactile stimulation: understanding the brain mechanisms. American Heart Association. 04/01/22 – 03/31/2025.   Funded.  Subaward 46-1014-0014-201.
  • Barlow SM (PI), Wang Y (Co-PI), Bashford G (Co-Inv), Harvey J (Co-Inv), Fayad P (Co-Inv).  Competition: CB3 Seed Grant Program.  Application ID: 54092.  Evoking Brain Hemodynamics and Neuroplasticity in MCA Stroke Survivors Through Repeated Sensory Stimulation and Task Dynamics (Cognition, Sensorimotor, Sensory).  Funded, $16,125.  01-01-25
  • NU Collab Grant:  Title: Tactile-augmented walking in stroke survivors: biomechanics and brain control.  PI - Mukul Mukherjee (UNO), Co-Inv – Steven M. Barlow (UNL), Yingying Wang (UNL), Aaron Likens (UNO), Pierre Fayad (UNMC).  Term – 7/1/2024 to 6/30/2025   $100K, funded.   Barlow cost object 21-1219-6010  $5,771.00
  • NU Collab Grant:  Title: Brain correlates of foot sole stimulation during gait-like tasks.   PI - Mukul Mukherjee (UNO), Co-Inv – Steven M. Barlow (UNL), Yingying Wang (UNL), Aaron Likens, David Warren (UNO), Pierre Fayad (UNMC).  Term – 7/1/2025 to 6/30/2026   $100K.   
  • PI (Mukul Mukherjee), Co-PI (Steven M. Barlow), Co-Inv (Yingying Wang, Aaron Likens, Pierre Fayad).  PA-20-183: Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Required) (nih.gov).  NIH 1R01NS140816-01A1 (application ID 11298767),   Project Title: Understanding tactile-augmented gait in stroke survivors through a collaborative biomechanics, machine learning and brain mapping approach.   Project Dates: 12/01/2025 – 11/30/2030.  $2,673,018 total direct cost.  $717,967 UNL subcontract, SM Barlow site PI.    MFSR Study Section June 5-6, 2025.
  • PI (Massimiliano Pierobon), Co-PI (Steven M. Barlow), Co-PI (Aron Barbey), Co-PI (Kristin Malek).   Title: Emotionally Aware AI Assistants for Promoting Mental Wellness in Rural Nebraska Communities.  Nebraska Healthy Grant, LOI submitted 5-16-25.  Human Research=YES, Project Timeline: 1/1/2026 – 12/31/2026,  Expected Project Cost: $100K.  Grounded in the PI’s research in biological and human-centered information systems and building upon ongoing work through the UNL Scholarship of Engagement Fellows Program (College of Engineering), this project will involve two-way co-development with rural Nebraskan stakeholders to ensure relevance, usability, and cultural fit. The assistant will operate through tablet- or kiosk-based platforms in community-accessible locations (e.g., libraries, clinics, schools), and will use multimodal inputs—such as voice and facial cues—to detect emotional states and deliver supportive prompts, reflective questions, or connection to appropriate local or remote resources.

Intramural Funding (Dr. SM Barlow)

  • Barkley Trust, University of Nebraska.  Communication Neuroscience Laboratories.  2014-2026.
  • Sutherland Foundation Endowment, University of Kansas  #38457. 06/01/05 – 01/31/14. 
  • Principal Investigator, GRF KU (Barlow). Cortical and Subcortical Contributions to Ororhythmic Behaviors: an fMRI Investigation (Pre-Doc, Meredith Estep). 7/1/08-6/30/09 ($13,018). 
  • Principal Investigator, KUMC-Research Institute. STN Deep Brain Stimulation and Parkinsonian Vocal Tract. ($21,000 total costs). 10/01/02-06/30/03.
  • Principal Investigator, KU RDF (Barlow). The Effects of Deep Brain Stimulator Implants on Limb and Orofacial Force Dynamics. ($60,600). 10/01/00-12/30/02
  • Principal Investigator, KUMC-Research Institute. STN Deep Brain Stimulation and Parkinsonian Vocal Tract. ($21,000 total costs). 10/01/02-06/30/03.         
  • Principal Investigator, KU RDF (Barlow). The Effects of Deep Brain Stimulator Implants on limb and Orofacial Force Dynamics. ($60,600). 10/01/00-12/30/02      
  • Principal Investigator, GRF KU (Barlow). Cortical and Subcortical Contributions to Ororhythmic Behaviors: an fMRI Investigation (Pre-Doc, Meredith Estep). 7/1/08-6/30/09 ($13,018).   
  • Principal Investigator, Sutherland Foundation Endowment, University of Kansas  #38457. 06/01/05 – 01/31/14.