Forced-dimer photoacoustic probes for deep tissue molecular imaging
Official title: Photoacoustic Aptamer Switch Sensors Enabled by Forced Dimerization for Deep Tissue Molecular Imaging
Funded at University of Texas San Antonio · NIH-11440501 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new type of dye-based sensor will detect molecular changes inside deep tissues using painless sound-based imaging instead of light alone.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas San Antonio NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Antonio, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $184,063 |
| NIH project number | 1R21EB040263-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11440501 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals whose conditions involve tissue-level biochemical changes that could be tracked with deep-tissue imaging (e.g., metabolic or vascular conditions).
✕Less likely to help
Patients without conditions affecting deep-tissue molecular changes or those not eligible for imaging studies may not benefit.
What this research studies
This grant supports creating FDA-PASS probes that use dye dimerization to produce distinct photoacoustic signals when a target molecule binds. The work moves beyond traditional fluorescent methods to achieve imaging at centimeter depths in living organisms. Researchers will design aptamer–cDNA hybrids with the same dye and test how forced dimerization changes absorption, enabling reliable ratiometric readouts. Proof-of-concept will include a lactate-sensitive probe to show real-time functional imaging in tissue. The project aims to provide deeper, noninvasive insight into dynamic biochemical processes in vivo.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from deeper, real-time monitoring of molecular processes without invasive procedures.
How similar studies have gone: Previous fluorescence-based probes faced depth limitations; this approach offers a potentially transformative alternative with prior successful demonstrations in related photoacoustic imaging concepts.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas San Antonio
San Antonio, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ye, Jing Yong — University of Texas San Antonio
- Study coordinator: Ye, Jing Yong
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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.