Fast, wide‑field, non‑invasive skin imaging device to see immune cells
Development of a fast scanning, extended field-of-view multiphoton microscope for clinical skin imaging
This project is building a fast, non‑invasive skin imaging tool to visualize immune cells and skin structure in people with conditions like eczema, autoimmune skin disease, or suspicious skin lesions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11306566 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are developing a clinical imaging device called iFLAME that uses multiphoton light to create label‑free, microscopic‑resolution images over larger skin areas without dyes. The team will image human skin in vivo to watch immune cells and tissue interactions directly and to refine the device for clinical research use. They will compare the images to known tissue markers and past clinical imaging to improve how cell types and activity are identified. The device builds on prior technology used by the team in hundreds of patient imaging sessions and is optimized for use at the bedside or clinic.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with inflammatory or autoimmune skin conditions (for example, atopic dermatitis/eczema), or those with suspicious skin lesions or skin cancer who are willing to undergo non‑invasive imaging at the research site.
Not a fit: People with diseases that do not affect the skin or who cannot travel to the imaging center are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this device.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give patients a non‑invasive way to visualize immune activity in skin, help detect early abnormal changes, and guide treatment decisions without biopsies.
How similar studies have performed: Related multiphoton imaging approaches have been successful in animal and preclinical work, and this team’s prior FLAME device has been used in over 400 patient imaging sessions, though using label‑free multiphoton imaging to track human immune cells in vivo is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Irvine, United States
- University of California-Irvine — Irvine, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Balu, Mihaela — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Balu, Mihaela
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.