NSF Convergence Accelerator Track M: Bioinspired Multispectral Imaging Technology for Intraoperative Cancer Detection

NSF 融合加速器轨道 M：用于术中癌症检测的仿生多光谱成像技术

• 批准号: 2344460
• 负责人: Viktor Gruev
• 金额: $ 65万
• 依托单位: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-01-15 至 2024-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2344460&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NSF; Convergence; Accelerator; Track; Bioinspired

Cancer, a pervasive global challenge affecting a substantial portion of the population, necessitates innovative solutions for improved treatment outcomes. This proposal encapsulates a multidisciplinary approach rooted in convergence research to address a critical issue in cancer surgery. The primary objective is the development of a bioinspired multispectral imaging sensor, drawing inspiration from the mantis shrimp's remarkable visual system. This innovative sensor, compacted onto a single chip, spans a broad spectrum, enabling simultaneous detection of cancer markers through near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence and deep ultraviolet (UV) fluorescence. Our diverse team, comprised of engineers, material scientists, physicians, visual ecologists, and social scientists, unites academia and industry in a collaborative effort to pioneer this groundbreaking technology. The central focus is on real-time intraoperative identification of positive sentinel lymph nodes, a pivotal aspect of cancer surgery, which can significantly impact patient outcomes by reducing the need for additional surgeries and minimizing complications such as lymphedema.Our research centers on three primary objectives. Firstly, we aim to develop an advanced multispectral imaging device that seamlessly integrates perovskite nanocrystals and optical metasurfaces with state-of-the-art imaging sensors. This bioinspired sensor will facilitate simultaneous imaging of both endogenous tumor-specific biomarkers in the UV spectrum and exogenous markers in the NIR spectrum—both of which are essential for the accurate identification and staging of lymph nodes during surgical procedures. Secondly, we will conduct comprehensive validation of our bioinspired imaging technology to guarantee its accuracy in detecting positive sentinel lymph nodes, both in vivo and ex vivo. This validation will involve the collection of human data in two distinct clinical settings: a resource-constrained hospital in North Macedonia and a cancer-center hospital at the University of Pennsylvania. Lastly, we will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the practicality and transformative potential of this technology within the complex landscape of surgical environments. In addition to our scientific pursuits, our proposal emphasizes a strong commitment to public engagement. Through a collaboration with the Saint Louis Science Center, we intend to educate the broader public on the fascinating realms of bioinspired imaging sensors and nanotechnology, using interactive exhibits to showcase our groundbreaking fluorescence camera. Furthermore, we will extend our collaboration into the realm of medical education, actively integrating bioinspired imaging principles into the curriculum of a new engineering-focused medical school—a partnership between the University of Illinois and the Carle Foundation Hospital. By doing so, we aim to equip the next generation of medical professionals with cutting-edge medical imaging tools and techniques. In essence, our proposal, rooted in convergence research, holds the promise of revolutionizing cancer surgery, encompassing technological innovation, public outreach, and medical education to ultimately enhance the well-being of cancer patients worldwide.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

癌症是一个普遍的全球性挑战，影响到相当一部分人口，需要创新的解决方案来改善治疗效果。该提案包含了植根于融合研究的多学科方法，以解决癌症手术中的关键问题。主要目标是开发一种生物启发的多光谱成像传感器，从螳螂虾的显着视觉系统中汲取灵感。这种创新的传感器，紧凑到一个芯片上，跨越了广泛的光谱，能够通过近红外（NIR）荧光和深紫外（UV）荧光同时检测癌症标志物。我们多元化的团队由工程师、材料科学家、医生、视觉生态学家和社会科学家组成，将学术界和工业界团结在一起，共同努力开创这项开创性的技术。中心重点是实时术中识别阳性前哨淋巴结，这是癌症手术的一个关键方面，可以通过减少额外手术的需要和最大限度地减少水肿等并发症来显著影响患者的预后。我们的研究集中在三个主要目标上。首先，我们的目标是开发一种先进的多光谱成像设备，将钙钛矿纳米晶体和光学超颖表面与最先进的成像传感器无缝集成。这种生物启发传感器将有助于同时成像紫外光谱中的内源性肿瘤特异性生物标志物和近红外光谱中的外源性标志物，这两者对于外科手术期间淋巴结的准确识别和分期都是必不可少的。其次，我们将对我们的生物启发成像技术进行全面验证，以确保其在体内和体外检测阳性前哨淋巴结的准确性。这项验证将涉及在两个不同的临床环境中收集人类数据：北马其顿的一家资源有限的医院和宾夕法尼亚大学的一家癌症中心医院。最后，我们将在复杂的手术环境中对该技术的实用性和变革潜力进行全面评估。除了我们的科学追求，我们的提案强调了对公众参与的坚定承诺。通过与圣刘易斯科学中心的合作，我们打算教育更广泛的公众对生物启发成像传感器和纳米技术的迷人领域，使用互动展品，以展示我们的突破性荧光相机。此外，我们将扩大我们的合作到医学教育领域，积极整合生物启发成像原理到一个新的工程为重点的医学院的课程-伊利诺伊大学和卡尔基金会医院之间的伙伴关系。通过这样做，我们的目标是为下一代医疗专业人员提供尖端的医学成像工具和技术。从本质上讲，我们的提案植根于融合研究，有望彻底改变癌症手术，包括技术创新，公共宣传和医学教育，最终提高全球癌症患者的福祉。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。