Advanced 3D imaging to watch how individual cells move and behave in living tissues
Official title: High spatiotemporal optical imaging to study dynamics of 3D cell motion and behavior in living organisms
Funded at University of Texas Arlington · NIH-11387524 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new imaging method is being developed to watch single cells in living tissues in real time with very high detail, from tiny nanometer to larger millimeter scales, to understand how cells move and interact.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Arlington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Arlington, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $390,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM150947-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11387524 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients or samples with conditions where tissue development or repair is relevant, such as organogenesis research using human or animal tissues.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not involved in tissue studies or who are not part of research samples are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project aims to create an imaging technique that combines sub-cellular detail with a large field of view so researchers can study how cells migrate and communicate inside tissues. By overcoming current optical limits, researchers hope to observe fast cell movements and shape changes in living organisms without causing excessive tissue damage. The work involves advanced microscopy, image processing, and live tissue experiments to translate high-resolution observations into better biological understanding.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from faster insights into how tissues develop and heal, potentially informing therapies for organ formation and repair.
How similar studies have gone: Previous imaging advances have shown that higher-resolution, larger field imaging can reveal new cellular behaviors, suggesting potential for meaningful gains with this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Arlington
Arlington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Juhyun — University of Texas Arlington
- Study coordinator: Lee, Juhyun
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.