Bioinspired Sensors for Image Guided Cancer Surgery

近红外(NIR)荧光图像引导手术(IGS)由于低光子散射、高信号背景和更深层次的组织成像而显示出巨大的潜力来改善癌症手术的结果。这项提议的目标是通过在第一次手术中减少并理想地消除阳性肿瘤边缘和小转移肿瘤，通过使用新型生物灵感成像传感器同时成像多个小尺寸肿瘤靶向分子探针来进一步加强癌症治疗。该项目涉及了解光如何调节药物通过血脑屏障的运输。该项目的结果可能会使新型纳米结构的开发成为可能，这将使脑癌和其他类型癌症的治疗发生转变。项目参与者还将与圣路易斯科学中心合作，开发一个受生物启发的荧光传感器模块。将在夏季科学爆炸夏令营期间向年轻人提供演示文稿，并在纳米日公共集市期间向博物馆参观者提供演示文稿。Gruev教授和他的团队正在开发一种传感器，可以在术中设置时识别小肿瘤和肿瘤边缘，并将这些信息提供给外科医生，以便完全切除肿瘤。他们将通过在功能上模仿螳螂虾的视觉系统来实现这一点-螳螂虾被认为是浅水中最好的捕食者-开发一种单芯片多光谱相机，具有更高的灵敏度和特异性，以成像几个肿瘤靶向的分子标志物。该项目协同结合了纳米制造技术、成像传感器和肿瘤靶向分子标记的进步。他们将在乳腺癌的动物模型上预临床验证他们的技术。项目参与者还将与圣路易斯科学中心合作，开发一个受生物启发的荧光传感器模块。将在夏季科学爆炸夏令营期间向年轻人提供演示文稿，并在纳米日公共集市期间向博物馆参观者提供演示文稿。这项用于癌症手术的新成像技术将被纳入卡莱伊利诺伊医学院新的工程驱动型医学院的课程，培训未来的医生关于癌症护理的新兴技术。该奖项反映了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。

Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence image-guided surgery (IGS) has shown enormous potential to improve the outcome of cancer surgeries due to the low photon scattering, enabling high signal to background and deeper tissue imaging. The goal of this proposal is to further enhance cancer treatment by decreasing and ideally eliminating, positive tumor margins and small metastatic tumors in first surgeries by simultaneously imaging multiple, small-sized tumor-targeted molecular probes with a novel bioinspired imaging sensor. The project involves understanding how light modulates drug transport across the blood-brain barrier. The results of this project may enable the development of new types of nanoconstructs, which will enable a transformation in the treatment of brain cancer and other types of cancer. The project participants will also work with the St. Louis Science Center to develop a module on the biologically inspired fluorescence sensor. Presentations will be provided to young people during Summer Science Blast summer day camps and museum visitors during Nano Days public fairs. Prof. Gruev and his team are developing a sensor that will identify small tumors and tumor margins during intraoperative settings and present this information to surgeons for complete tumor removal. They will accomplish this by functionally mimicking the visual system of the mantis shrimp—considered the best predator in shallow waters—to develop a single-chip multispectral camera with improved sensitivity and specificity to image several tumor-targeted molecular markers. The project synergistically combines advancements in nanofabrication technology, imaging sensors and tumor targeted molecular markers. They will pre-clinically validate their technology in animal models of breast cancer. The project participants will also work with the St. Louis Science Center to develop a module on the biologically inspired fluorescence sensor. Presentations will be provided to young people during Summer Science Blast summer day camps and museum visitors during Nano Days public fairs. This new imaging technology for cancer surgeries will be incorporated in the curriculum of the new engineering driven medical school at Carle Illinois School of Medicine, training future physicians on emerging technologies for cancer care.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.