Nanodiamond sensors to map redox changes in live brain-like cells
Official title: Nanodiamond quantum sensing in redox cell biology by hyperspectral microscopy
Funded at Florida Institute of Technology · NIH-11360430 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A blue-ribbon grant is exploring how reactive oxygen species affect cells by using quantum nanosensors to watch redox changes in real time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Florida Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Melbourne, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $527,392 |
| NIH project number | 1R15GM164941-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11360430 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with or at risk for neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, or aging-related conditions where redox balance is important.
✕Less likely to help
People without conditions linked to oxidative stress or those not able to participate in cell-based research would not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses a special imaging platform and nanodiamond sensors to measure how cells respond to different levels of oxidative stress. Researchers will engineer a chemogenetic system to produce controlled hydrogen peroxide in mammalian cells and track the resulting redox changes with high precision. They will combine biosensors, metabolic assays, and a new ODMRM technique to map oxidative thresholds and mitochondrial responses at subcellular resolution. The work will advance understanding of redox biology with implications for neuroscience, cancer, and aging, while engaging undergraduates in hands-on research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from better strategies to prevent or treat diseases linked to oxidative stress by informing new therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous redox biology studies have shown that precise measurement of ROS dynamics can reveal meaningful biological thresholds; this project adapts novel quantum sensing for higher resolution insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Florida Institute of Technology
Melbourne, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Usselman, Robert — Florida Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Usselman, Robert
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.