NIH-funded research NIH-funded research

Developing advanced imaging technologies for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases

Official title: Center for Label-free Imaging and Multiscale Biophotonics (CLIMB)

Funded at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · NIH-10940220 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is working on new imaging techniques that help doctors see important details in cancer and brain disease samples without using dyes, making it easier to diagnose and monitor treatments, and it's designed for both patients and future researchers in the field.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Champaign, United States)
Project startSeptember 30, 2022
Project endJune 20, 2027
Funding year2024
Award (this year)$354,838
NIH project number3P41EB031772-03S1
Project IDNIH-10940220 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Ideal candidates for this research include patients diagnosed with cancer or neurodegenerative disorders who may benefit from advanced imaging techniques.

Less likely to help

Patients with conditions unrelated to cancer or neurodegenerative diseases may not receive any benefit from this research.

What this research studies

The Center for Label-free Imaging and Multiscale Biophotonics (CLIMB) focuses on creating innovative optical and computational imaging technologies to tackle significant biomedical challenges, particularly in cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. This research aims to develop label-free imaging techniques that can extract quantitative biomarkers from biological specimens, enabling better diagnosis and treatment monitoring. The project combines expertise from multiple research groups to translate these technologies from the lab to clinical and point-of-care settings, making them accessible for real-time patient care. Additionally, a comprehensive training program is established to educate future researchers in the field of biophotonics.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more accurate and less invasive diagnostic tools for patients with cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promising results with similar label-free imaging approaches, indicating potential for success in this novel application.

Where this research is happening

  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    Champaign, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Boppart, Stephen a — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Study coordinator: Boppart, Stephen a

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.