Next-Gen Brain Cancer Surveillance with Wireless Miniature Imaging
Official title: Next-Gen Oncosurveillance: Wireless Multi-Function Microscopy of In Vivo Brain Cancer Dynamics
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11367355 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Johns Hopkins-led project will develop a wireless, multi-contrast brain imaging tool to watch glioblastoma cells, tumor signals, and blood vessels move together in living animal models, with the goal of understanding how these cancers spread.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | December 12, 2019 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $446,023 |
| NIH project number | 2R01CA237597-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11367355 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with glioblastoma or related brain tumors could benefit from advances in imaging that translate to future clinical tools and therapies.
✕Less likely to help
This hardware-focused project is in animals and early-stage development; direct patient benefit would come later if translated.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a wireless, high-throughput imaging device that can track glioblastoma cell movement, oncogene activity, and interactions with brain blood vessels in real time. Researchers will fit a small, Bluetooth-enabled microscope to mice carrying patient-derived GBM tumors and monitor changes over days. The study will test how different tumor cells invade perivascular spaces and along white-matter tracts, linking cellular behavior to the tumor environment. The work builds on prior progress to establish an imaging paradigm the team calls oncosurveillance, bridging basic mechanisms and potential future therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this technology could reveal how GBM cells invade the brain, informing future treatments and potentially guiding personalized strategies for glioblastoma care.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data suggest that wireless, high-resolution brain imaging in models can reveal tumor cell dynamics, with ongoing development to improve translational relevance.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pathak, Arvind P — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Pathak, Arvind P
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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.