Biomolecular Ultrasound for Deep Tissue Imaging of Cellular Functions

Ultrasound has historically lacked the ability to visualize the function of specific cells and molecules. To bridge this gap, this team will develop the first acoustic biomolecules allowing ultrasound to image the function of specific cells deep inside the body. These advances will establish capabilities such as multiplexed imaging, intracellular biosensing, and super-resolution cellular imaging, which are common in optical microscopy but nonexistent in ultrasound.

If successful, these tools will allow researchers to investigate new biological questions in intact organisms, and will facilitate the development of cell-based diagnostic and therapeutic agents. The team will first demonstrate these capabilities in the in vivo context of cancer immunology. This work will create a transformative new capability for visualizing the biology of cells in deep tissues — with applications in neuroscience, immunology, cancer biology, development, gene therapy, cellular medicine, and many other biomedical domains.