Pan-OptiX: a new 3D imaging method to map retinal cells in ultra-high detail
Official title: Development of multiplexed nanoscopy for ultrastructural phenotyping of retinal tissue
Funded at Panluminate INC. · NIH-11391142 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A powerful new imaging method called pan-OptiX will map the retina in 3D at ultra-fine detail to understand how cells and proteins connect in vision.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Panluminate INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $573,423 |
| NIH project number | 5U01EY037213-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11391142 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients or samples whose retinal tissue or related data can be analyzed using high-resolution 3D imaging techniques.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose retinal tissue cannot be studied with this imaging approach or who do not contribute tissue samples may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to combine two advanced microscopy techniques to create pan-OptiX, a method that can image tissue in 3D with very high resolution and multiple proteins labeled at once. By expanding the tissue and using fast, gentle labeling, scientists hope to see cellular structures and their molecular markers in three dimensions without damaging the sample. The work will validate a second-generation protocol and apply it to the mammalian retina to reveal how neural circuits are organized. The study is conducted by Panluminate Inc., with a focus on translating spatial proteomics advances into practical insights for vision biology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, pan-OptiX could enable researchers to study retinal circuitry in unprecedented detail, potentially informing treatments for vision disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Predecessor technologies (pan-ExM and FLASH-PAINT) have shown promise in high-resolution, multi-protein imaging, suggesting potential success with the new pan-OptiX approach.
Where this research is happening
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Panluminate INC.
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: M'saad, Ons — Panluminate INC.
- Study coordinator: M'saad, Ons
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.