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

癌症是一个普遍存在的全球性挑战，影响着相当一部分人口，需要创新的解决方案来改善治疗结果。这一建议概括了一种植根于融合研究的多学科方法，以解决癌症外科中的一个关键问题。主要目标是开发一种生物灵感多光谱成像传感器，灵感来自螳螂虾非凡的视觉系统。这种创新的传感器紧凑在单个芯片上，跨越广泛的光谱，能够通过近红外(NIR)荧光和深紫外光(UV)荧光同时检测癌症标志物。我们由工程师、材料科学家、医生、视觉生态学家和社会科学家组成的多元化团队，将学术界和工业界团结在一起，共同努力开创这项突破性的技术。中心焦点是术中实时识别阳性前哨淋巴结，这是癌症手术的关键方面，通过减少额外手术的需要和将淋巴水肿等并发症降至最低，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表面与最先进的成像传感器无缝集成。这种受生物启发的传感器将有助于同时成像UV光谱中的内源性肿瘤特异性生物标记物和近红外光谱中的外源性标记物--这两种标记物对于外科手术期间准确识别和分期淋巴结至关重要。其次，我们将对我们的生物灵感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：马其顿北部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，我们将在复杂的外科环境中对这项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之外，我们的建议还强调对公众参与的坚定承诺。通过与圣路易斯科学中心的合作，我们打算通过互动展品展示我们突破性的荧光相机，教育更广泛的公众了解生物灵感成像传感器和纳米技术的迷人领域。此外，我们将把我们的合作扩展到医学教育领域，积极将生物启发成像原理整合到一所新的以工程为重点的医学院的课程中--这是伊利诺伊大学和卡尔基金会医院的合作伙伴关系。通过这样做，我们的目标是为下一代医疗专业人员配备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，承诺将彻底改变癌症手术，包括技术创新、公共宣传和医学教育，以最终提高世界各地癌症患者的福祉。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.