Tracking genome-edited immune cells inside the body
Genetically-encoded molecular imaging of genome-edited immune cells
This project builds a new PET imaging method to see where engineered immune cells travel and survive after they are given to patients, which could help people getting cell therapies for autoimmune disease or cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Cincinnati NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cincinnati, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11193819 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work aims to make engineered immune cells visible on clinical PET scans by giving those cells a small bacterial transporter that binds a safe imaging tracer. The team combines ideas from fluorescent/luciferase reporters with nuclear imaging chemistry to create a chemogenetic PET signal. They will test the approach in engineered cells and animal models to follow cell distribution, turnover, and survival over time. The hope is to move toward tools that can monitor patient-derived therapies such as CAR‑T or other adoptive cell transfers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who are receiving or may receive engineered immune-cell therapies (for autoimmune conditions, cancer, or related disorders) would be the most likely candidates for future participation.
Not a fit: Patients who are not treated with cell therapies or who cannot undergo PET imaging are unlikely to get direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, doctors could noninvasively track therapeutic immune cells in real time, improving safety monitoring and guiding treatment choices.
How similar studies have performed: Reporter-gene imaging and PET reporter systems have precedent in preclinical and limited clinical use, but applying a bacterial metallophore-transporter pair for nuclear imaging is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Cincinnati, United States
- University of Cincinnati — Cincinnati, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kotagiri, Nalinikanth — University of Cincinnati
- Study coordinator: Kotagiri, Nalinikanth
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.