In Situ Amplification for Biological Imaging using Hybridization Chain Reaction
Official title: Hybridization Chain Reaction: In Situ Amplification for Biological Imaging
Funded at California Institute of Technology · NIH-11420780 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research grant supporting a new imaging approach that helps scientists visualize where RNA and proteins are located inside tissues and embryos.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | California Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pasadena, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,979,208 |
| NIH project number | 1R01GM165318-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11420780 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are researchers and clinicians studying human development, cancer, or other diseases where spatial molecular information can guide diagnosis and treatment planning.
✕Less likely to help
This project is primarily an instrument and method development effort and may not directly benefit individual patients during the grant period.
What this research studies
This project aims to improve how we image RNA and proteins in fixed tissue and whole specimens, using a DNA-based amplification method to get clearer, multiplexed signals. By making these signals more quantitative and high-resolution, it could reveal where important molecules are in relation to anatomy and disease processes. The work is conducted at Caltech with a focus on human development and disease-relevant biology, potentially guiding drug development and pathology analysis. The project involves close collaboration between biologists, chemists, and imaging experts to optimize protocols for complex tissues.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from more accurate disease biomarkers and better-targeted therapies through clearer tissue imaging.
How similar studies have gone: Previous imaging methods have improved, but current multiplexing and single-copy locus imaging remain challenging, making this a potentially pioneering advance.
Where this research is happening
-
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pierce, Niles a — California Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Pierce, Niles a
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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.