Single-molecule look at how autoimmune cells communicate
Official title: NanoSMS: single molecule secretome analysis for non-destructive cellular fingerprinting
Funded at University of California Riverside · NIH-11417329 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new tech called NanoSMS would let doctors and researchers peek at the molecules released by individual immune cells to understand autoimmune diseases better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Riverside NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Riverside, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $355,737 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM151115-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11417329 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with autoimmune diseases whose immune cells are studied for their secreted molecules in the lab.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals or patients not providing immune cell samples may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Over the next five years, NanoSMS will develop a method to observe what a single immune cell releases, with extremely high sensitivity. The approach combines tiny droplets that trap single cells with a nanopore sensor to detect secreted molecules. This could reveal how B cells, T cells, and other immune cells behave in autoimmune conditions, including how antibodies are produced. The work will also explore how immune cells respond to a single antigen and how timing and signals influence antibody production.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this technology could lead to more precise ways to diagnose and monitor autoimmune diseases by revealing cell-level immune signatures.
How similar studies have gone: Similar single-cell secretion studies have shown promise in understanding immune cell behavior and antibody production.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Riverside
Riverside, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Freedman, Kevin — University of California Riverside
- Study coordinator: Freedman, Kevin
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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.