Imaging Core to illuminate how glycans shape cell biology
Official title: Imaging Research Core
Funded at University of Mississippi · NIH-11398101 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A core imaging program at a university is using advanced microscopy to see how sugars on cells influence structure, signaling, and health, helping researchers study glycans in living cells and tissues.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Mississippi NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (University, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2020 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $214,942 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM130460-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11398101 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Researchers and clinicians studying diseases where glycans play a role, such as cancer or inflammatory conditions, and their patient populations may indirectly benefit through future diagnostics or treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not involved in glycan-related research or not relying on imaging-based diagnostics may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This grant funds a dedicated Imaging Core to provide access to advanced microscopy tools and develop new imaging methods for GlyCORE researchers. It emphasizes preserving cellular context while measuring molecular dynamics with techniques like confocal microscopy, FRET, FRAP, and FLIP, as well as electron microscopy for detailed structure. The goal is to make high-end imaging more available, improve sample preparation, and enable quantitative analyses of glycan roles in cellular function and disease. Researchers across multiple projects can bring their samples to the core and receive support to visualize glycan-related processes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from faster translation of glycan-related findings into diagnostics or therapies driven by clearer pictures of how sugars influence cell behavior.
How similar studies have gone: Prior imaging cores have helped generate high-quality data and new imaging techniques; this project aims to broaden access and capabilities.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Mississippi
University, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roman, Gregg W — University of Mississippi
- Study coordinator: Roman, Gregg W
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Science-based authentication, safety, and validation of botanical ingredients
This NIH grant focuses on making sure botanical ingredients used in dietary supplements are authentic, safe, and accurately labeled for consumers.
-
Glycopeptide Nanomaterials That Assemble at Disease Sites Triggered by Oxidative Signals
A new type of tiny, glycan-guided nanomaterial forms right at diseased tissue when exposed to disease-related reactive oxygen species, aiming to deliver drugs more precisely and safely.
-
High-precision glycan detectors using AI to spot disease-linked sugars
A grant to develop AI-guided, highly specific tools that detect disease-related glycans (áGal and NeuGc) in human samples to improve diagnostics and safe biologic therapies.
-
How brevican changes nerve cell excitability in the brain
A small NIH grant is exploring how a brain protein called brevican, and its sugar tags, affect nerve cell activity in a specific brain area tied to fear and stress.
-
Sulfated molecules in the back of the eye and how they shape myopia progression
This grant studies how losing certain building blocks in the eye’s outer layer may affect eye shape and the worsening of nearsightedness in pig eyes to model human disease.
-
Gene networks behind alcohol tolerance in fruit flies
A short, patient-friendly look at how brain signaling related to alcohol tolerance might be reversed or treated.
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.