A tool to study how live cells interact with each other.
Official title: A Universal Tool for Unravelling the Requirements for Clinically Relevant Cell-Cell Interactions via In Situ Phenotyping and Tagging of Live Cells
Funded at Narwhal Bio, INC. · NIH-11007110 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on a new, gentle way for scientists to watch and mark living cells as they interact, which could help us learn more about how our immune system works, especially how T-cells respond to threats like cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 1 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Narwhal Bio, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | September 14, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $349,816 |
| NIH project number | 1R43GM154584-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11007110 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with autoimmune diseases or conditions where T-cell activation plays a critical role.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with stable, non-progressive conditions that do not involve T-cell activation or cell-cell interactions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a non-invasive tool that allows scientists to observe and tag live cells in real-time to better understand how they interact with each other. By using this innovative approach, researchers aim to analyze the effects of these interactions on immune responses, particularly how T-cells are activated by antigen presentation. The methodology involves a live-cell-in, live-cell-out process that enhances the ability to conduct live cell assays and explore complex biological pathways. This could lead to new insights into diseases like cancer and autoimmune disorders.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved therapeutic strategies for diseases driven by cell-cell interactions, such as cancer and autoimmune diseases.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of studying live cell interactions is gaining traction, this specific non-invasive method represents a novel advancement in the field.
Where this research is happening
-
Narwhal Bio, INC.
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Beierle, John M — Narwhal Bio, INC.
- Study coordinator: Beierle, John M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.