AI-powered imaging of lab-grown airway cells
High-throughput Phenotyping of iPSC-derived Airway Epithelium by Multiscale Machine Learning Microscopy
This project uses AI-enhanced microscopes to image airway cells grown from stem cells so we can better understand diseases like cystic fibrosis at the cell level.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11324590 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will grow airway lining cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and keep them alive while imaging. They will use a new platform that combines wide-field, high-resolution optical techniques with deep learning to capture lots of cells quickly without harming them. Machine learning will find subtle, multiscale patterns in cell shape and function that are hard to see by eye. The goal is to map cellular differences across many cells to reveal signatures linked to airway disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be people with airway conditions (for example cystic fibrosis or severe asthma) or healthy volunteers willing to donate blood or a small skin sample so iPSCs can be made.
Not a fit: Patients without airway conditions or those unwilling to provide biological samples would not directly benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could speed discovery of disease-linked cell changes and help develop more precise diagnostics and treatments for airway disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Related work using iPSC airway models and AI image analysis has shown promise, but combining multiscale Fourier ptychographic imaging with deep learning for large-scale live-cell airway phenotyping is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston Children's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Kwonmoo — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Lee, Kwonmoo
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 below.