NIR probes to visualize ovarian cancer during surgery
Official title: Novel NIR probes for multiplexed imaging of cancer
Funded at University of Nebraska Omaha · NIH-11292234 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new near-infrared imaging tool made from DNA-templated silver clusters could help doctors find and remove ovarian cancer tissue more accurately during surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Omaha NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Omaha, United States) |
| Project start | July 17, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $572,947 |
| NIH project number | 1R15EB038727-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11292234 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with suspected or diagnosed ovarian epithelial cancer undergoing diagnostic imaging or surgical intervention.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without ovarian cancer or those not undergoing imaging-guided procedures may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to develop easy-to-use DNA-Templated Silver Nanocluster probes that light up ovarian tumors in real time, guiding surgeons during cytoreductive procedures. The funded work will create a modular toolkit of highly bright, stable, and safe NIR probes optimized for ovarian cancer imaging and surgical guidance. Researchers will validate probe performance in relevant models, with an emphasis on translating imaging visibility, accuracy, and low toxicity into bedside use for improved patient outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from earlier tumor detection and more precise, kidney-sparing cytoreductive surgery with better visualization of cancerous tissue.
How similar studies have gone: Previous fluorescence imaging approaches have shown promise for tumor delineation, but this work advances a DNA-AgNC-based probe with improved stability and brightness for ovarian cancer.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nebraska Omaha
Omaha, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Krasnoslobodtsev, Alexey — University of Nebraska Omaha
- Study coordinator: Krasnoslobodtsev, Alexey
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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.