Using light to track how cells behave in diseases
Official title: Orthogonal split luciferases for imaging multiplexed cellular behaviors
Funded at Dickinson College · NIH-10730660 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on a new way to use special glowing proteins to see how different cells behave in diseases like cancer and infections, helping scientists understand how treatments work without needing to do any invasive procedures.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dickinson College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Carlisle, United States) |
| Project start | September 26, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $351,294 |
| NIH project number | 1R15GM151711-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10730660 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with cancers or bacterial infections who may benefit from advanced imaging techniques.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-cancerous or non-infectious conditions may not receive direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on improving bioluminescence imaging (BLI) to better understand how different cells interact in disease states. By using a special light-emitting protein system, researchers aim to visualize the behavior of individual cells without invasive procedures. This technique could help in studying cancer treatments, infections, and stem cell therapies by allowing scientists to see how these cells respond in real-time. The project will involve engineering new protein pairs to enhance the ability to track multiple cell types simultaneously.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments for cancers and infections by providing deeper insights into cellular behaviors.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results using bioluminescence imaging for tracking cellular behaviors, indicating that this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
Dickinson College
Carlisle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rathbun, Colin — Dickinson College
- Study coordinator: Rathbun, Colin
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.