Protein 'air bubbles' to help ultrasound see cells and disease
Biogenic Gas Nanostructures as Molecular Imaging Reporters for Ultrasound
This work is creating tiny protein-filled bubbles that could let ultrasound show specific cells and molecular signals for people with conditions like brain tumors or receiving cell therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | California Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pasadena, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11248756 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are engineering gas-filled protein nanostructures derived from microbes so they can be seen with standard ultrasound machines. These protein 'bubbles' can be delivered as injectable contrast agents or produced inside cells as genetic reporters to reveal gene activity and cell behavior. The team has already shown the approach works in cells and animal disease models and is improving sensitivity to detect single cells and to report on cellular enzymes. The goal is to enable low-cost, deep-tissue molecular imaging that could be used alongside treatments such as CAR-T or to monitor brain tumors.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with brain tumors or those receiving cell-based therapies (for example CAR-T) are the most likely candidates for future clinical use of this imaging technology.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions that do not require molecular-level imaging or who need immediate therapeutic treatment rather than diagnostic imaging are unlikely to benefit right away.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could let doctors noninvasively track cells and molecular signals inside the body with widely available ultrasound, improving diagnosis and monitoring.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lab and animal studies from this team have shown gas vesicle proteins can act as ultrasound contrast agents and reporter genes, but they have not yet been proven in human trials.
Where this research is happening
Pasadena, United States
- California Institute of Technology — Pasadena, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shapiro, Mikhail — California Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Shapiro, Mikhail
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 below.