Understanding white fat tissue using ultrasound imaging
Official title: In-vivo Characterization of White Adipose Tissue with Quantitative Ultrasound
Funded at Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ · NIH-11056465 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how fat tissue in our bodies affects our health and aims to create a new, easy way to use ultrasound to see how healthy that fat tissue is, which could help us understand its role in diseases like cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $202,076 |
| NIH project number | 1R21EB035809-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11056465 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals with conditions related to obesity, diabetes, or localized diseases affecting adipose tissue.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with no adipose tissue or those not affected by conditions related to adipose tissue dysfunction may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on the role of white adipose tissue (WAT) in overall health and how its dysfunction can lead to various diseases. The team aims to develop a non-invasive ultrasound imaging technique to measure the size, density, and organization of fat cells in real-time. By analyzing these characteristics, the research seeks to better understand how local diseases, such as cancer, affect fat tissue and its secretions, which are important for body health. This innovative approach could provide valuable insights into the relationship between fat tissue and systemic health conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved methods for diagnosing and monitoring diseases related to fat tissue dysfunction.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of using quantitative ultrasound for this purpose is innovative, similar imaging techniques have shown promise in other areas of medical research.
Where this research is happening
-
Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hoerig, Cameron — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Hoerig, Cameron
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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.