Multiscale imaging toolbox linking cell genes to organ function
Official title: Chemical toolbox for multiscale, integrative imaging: Connecting cellular gene expression to organ-scale phenotype
Funded at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · NIH-11389571 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research team will combine advanced imaging and genetic tools to understand how changes in individual cells relate to organ-wide problems, with the goal of better understanding brain and body tissues.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Champaign, United States) |
| Project start | September 24, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $396,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM147420-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11389571 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with organ- or brain-related conditions where cellular-level changes contribute to disease.
✕Less likely to help
People without conditions involving organ network dysfunction may see less direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to connect what happens inside single cells to the behavior of whole organs by integrating gene expression data, cell structure, and organ-wide imaging. Researchers will use cutting-edge methods like single-cell sequencing, CLARITY-style organ imaging, and CRISPR perturbations to map how cellular changes translate into dysfunction in vivo. The work plans to integrate data across multiple scales to reveal mechanistic links between genes and organ phenotypes. The insights could help explain how diseases emerge from cellular abnormalities and guide future therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from a clearer picture of how cellular changes lead to organ problems, informing future treatments and precision medicine approaches.
How similar studies have gone: Similar multiscale imaging and single-cell approaches have begun to reveal cell-to-organ connections, but this integrated approach remains at the frontier.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Han, Hee-Sun — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Study coordinator: Han, Hee-Sun
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.