Improving microscopes and computer models to read gene activity inside single cells
Integrating Multi-Scale Imaging, Reaction-Diffusion Simulation, and Markov Model Inference to Enhance Predictive Design and Interpretation of Single-Molecule Gene Regulation Experiments
This project builds better imaging and computer-model tools to read and predict how genes switch on and off in single cells, which could help research into infections and cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Colorado State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Collins, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11172426 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers will combine advanced image processing with single-particle tracking to extract detailed signals from fluorescence microscopy of cells. They will link those measurements to spatial reaction-diffusion simulations and Markov-model inference to model how molecules move and react inside cells and to quantify uncertainty in the results. The team will package these methods into a platform called scGUIDE so experiments can be designed and interpreted more reliably across bacterial and cancer cell systems.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with bacterial infections or cancer who can provide tissue or cell samples for laboratory imaging studies, or who are interested in contributing samples for research, would be most relevant for this work.
Not a fit: Anyone looking for an immediate new therapy is unlikely to benefit now because this grant focuses on lab methods and tool development rather than direct patient treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help scientists develop clearer, more reliable measurements of gene activity that speed progress toward better diagnostics and treatments for infections and cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Related single-cell imaging and computational methods have shown promise in early laboratory studies, but this integrated use of spatial simulations and rigorous uncertainty quantification is a newer, more comprehensive approach.
Where this research is happening
Fort Collins, United States
- Colorado State University — Fort Collins, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Munsky, Brian — Colorado State University
- Study coordinator: Munsky, Brian
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.