High-resolution 3D protein mapping for brain tissue
Official title: A 3D super-resolved platform for rapid and highly multiplexed proteomics
Funded at Panluminate INC. · NIH-11190941 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project develops a fast, high-resolution method to map many proteins at once in brain tissue to help researchers better understand Alzheimer's and related brain conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Panluminate INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | September 16, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $726,209 |
| NIH project number | 5R44MH128999-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11190941 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with Alzheimer's disease or families interested in donating brain tissue for research or taking part in future studies that use advanced tissue imaging would be the most relevant participants over time.
✕Less likely to help
This is a lab-based methods development project validated in animal tissue, so patients seeking immediate treatment or clinical care are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, this project is building a new lab technique called pan-OptiX S3D that combines tissue expansion and rapid protein labeling so tissues can be imaged in 3D at subcellular detail. The team will first test and validate the method in rodent brain tissue to map neural circuits and disease features like amyloid plaques. The approach aims to let researchers label unlimited protein markers without damaging samples and image whole tissue sections in multiple colors. If it works, this tool could reveal disease-related changes that are hard to see with current methods.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, researchers could produce detailed 3D protein maps of Alzheimer’s-affected brain tissue that help identify disease mechanisms and new targets for diagnosis or therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Related techniques like tissue expansion microscopy and single-molecule localization methods have shown success, but combining pan-SSExM with FLASH-PAINT for unlimited 3D multiplexing is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Panluminate INC.
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: M'saad, Ons — Panluminate INC.
- Study coordinator: M'saad, Ons
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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.