SPARC Program
All organs in the body are innervated by nerves, which carry information to and from organs and modulate their function. Methods and medical devices that modulate these nerve signals are a potentially powerful way to treat many diseases and conditions, such as hypertension, heart failure, gastrointestinal disorders, type 2 diabetes, inflammatory disorders, and more.
The Common Fund’s Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC) program aims to transform our understanding of these nerve-organ interactions and ultimately advance the neuromodulation field towards precise treatment of diseases and conditions for which conventional therapies fall short.
Phase 1 Research
In Phase 1 of the SPARC program, research projects advanced bioelectronic medicine through a multi-pronged approach. Investigators mapped nerve-organ connections to enhance our understanding of autonomic functions, developed innovative tools for precise nerve modulation, and established translational partnerships to bridge preclinical findings to human studies. A cutting-edge public resource—the SPARC Portal (sparc.science)—was created to provide researchers with vital information and tools, while efforts to map neural circuits mediating visceral pain underscored the program’s comprehensive approach, with many projects spanning multiple organs and neural targets.
Phase 2 Research
Phase 2 (2022-present) is underway and focuses on the human vagus. Each funded project complements and benefits each other; for example, functionality is being developed to use histological and statistical data from anatomical studies on nerve morphology and its variability to assess the performance and safety of the neural interfaces designed. The Neuromod Prize competition groundbreaking uses of peripheral nerve stimulation that can independently regulate two or more desired autonomic functions without unintended effects on non-target organs.
SPARC Office Hours for April
Looking to share your research data? The SPARC Data and Resource Center (DRC) supports user needs with open office hours. Office Hours for K-Core curation, MAP-Core, and DAT-Core occur monthly. SIM-Core hours are every other month. Hours are in EDT.
March 24, 2025
We are pleased to share our first annual public report describing highlights and plans for the SPARC platform.
Read about the progress of the SPARC Program. It was founded in 2015 through a Common Fund initiative by the National Institutes of Health, with the goal of accelerating the development of therapeutic devices that modulate electrical activity in nerves to improve major organ function.
Stay informed about topics you're most interested in by joining the SPARC mailing list.
