DNA-based optical barcoding for single-cell analysis
Official title: DNA-optical barcoding technology for spatiotemporal single-cell analysis
Funded at Lase Innovation INC. · NIH-11293464 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A fast-track SBIR project to create a dual-barcoded optical system that links live-cell imaging with single-cell sequencing to study how individual cancer cells behave.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lase Innovation INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Waltham, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | February 20, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $900,298 |
| NIH project number | 5R44HG013591-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11293464 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients directly; this is a technology development grant.
✕Less likely to help
Patients are not a direct target of this grant since it focuses on tool development.
What this research studies
This project aims to fuse real-time cell imaging with high-throughput sequencing by developing dual optical and molecular barcodes. Researchers will create laser-particle barcodes that can be read during imaging or through sequencing, then align data using the same cell identifiers. The work includes designing, fabricating, and validating the barcodes, plus software and hardware to integrate with common microscopes. Phase I will prove feasibility on a small scale, and Phase II will scale up production and validate performance toward commercialization. The ultimate goal is a practical tool that researchers can adopt to understand cancer cell behavior more comprehensively.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this technology could enable researchers to track and analyze the behavior of individual cancer cells with greater speed and accuracy, potentially informing better-targeted treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Similar barcoding approaches exist, but this project aims to integrate live imaging with sequencing via a new dual-barcode system.
Where this research is happening
-
Lase Innovation INC.
Waltham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kwok, Sheldon J.j. — Lase Innovation INC.
- Study coordinator: Kwok, Sheldon J.j.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
New technology for tracking individual cell behavior using DNA barcodes
This study is testing a new way to track and understand how individual cells work in living systems, which could help scientists learn more about diseases and improve lab techniques for everyone.
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Tracking T-cell function over time using advanced flow cytometry
This study is looking at how T-cells, which are important for fighting cancer, behave over time when they are treated in different ways, to help improve cancer treatments like vaccines and cell therapies for patients.
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.