Developing a new imaging tool to visualize radiopharmaceuticals in living organisms
Official title: Three-dimensional imaging of radiopharmaceutical distribution in multicellular organism at cellular resolution
Funded at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee · NIH-11049135 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on a new imaging tool that helps doctors see how special medicines used in scans spread inside living tissues, which could lead to better treatments and safer therapies for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin Milwaukee NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | March 15, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $195,411 |
| NIH project number | 5R21EB035205-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11049135 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients who may benefit from advanced imaging techniques in nuclear medicine, particularly those with conditions requiring precise radiopharmaceutical distribution analysis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not require nuclear imaging or those with conditions that do not involve the use of radiopharmaceuticals may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on creating a cutting-edge imaging instrument that can visualize the distribution of radiopharmaceuticals in three dimensions within living multicellular organisms. By utilizing advanced radioluminescence microscopy, the project aims to overcome the limitations of current imaging techniques, which struggle with resolution in thicker samples. This new approach will enhance our understanding of how these clinical tracers behave at the cellular level, potentially leading to better interpretations of nuclear imaging results. Additionally, it will facilitate the testing of new radiopharmaceuticals using patient-derived organoids, ensuring safer and more effective therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved diagnostic imaging and more effective treatments for patients undergoing nuclear medicine procedures.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of using radioluminescence microscopy is innovative, similar imaging techniques have shown promise in other contexts, suggesting potential for success in this novel application.
Where this research is happening
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University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sung, Yongjin — University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
- Study coordinator: Sung, Yongjin
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.