PI: Peter Pham, MD
Co-I: Kenneth Huynh & Shawn Sun
Novel, inexpensive, open-source, 3D-printed needle guide device can enhance research speed and efficiency while reducing costs
Minimally invasive, image-guided needle placement procedures are widely utilized in research, diagnosis, and treatment of various diseases. However, the commonly employed manual freehand technique can be prone to inaccuracies and inefficiencies, potentially leading to complications. To address these issues, we have developed a 3D-printed, affordable, compact, and user-friendly needle guide and plan to compare its accuracy and speed with traditional freehand techniques.
PI: Abraham Qavi, MD
Deciphering InflammAGING via Ultrasensitive Plasmonic Fluor Arrays
This project aims to develop and validate a highly sensitive, multiplexed assay for detecting cytokines using plasmonic fluors (PFs), enabling improved analysis of immune signaling proteins at low concentrations. The ultimate goal is to establish age-stratified reference ranges for cytokines in healthy individuals, laying the groundwork for better diagnostics and monitoring of immune-mediated diseases.
PI: Min Zhang, MD & Christina Kraus, MD
Co-I: Xing Dai
A novel pipeline for integrative analysis of singlecell and clinical data to decipher disease stages
By evaluating the relationship between clinical information and single-cell spatial transcriptomics along with the epigenetic profile, we aim to develop a robust analytical pipeline that establishes a scalable framework for deciphering disease stages. In this project, our primary focus will be on vulvar lichen sclerosus, a rare inflammatory skin condition; however, the pipeline is designed to be general and can be utilized to investigate a broad spectrum of conditions, including autoimmune, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases.
PI: Pengbo Jiang, MD & Yi Xi Wu
Co-I: Bruce Gao
Charging ahead: Electromotive Forces for Deep Tissue Drug Delivery
The purpose of this project is to optimize electromotive drug administration (EMDA) to enhance localized penetration of chemotherapeutics into bladder muscle tissues, specifically targeting muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). By using ionizable drugs combined with a mild electrical current, the research aims to significantly improve deep tissue drug delivery. This approach may yield effective, minimally invasive treatment alternatives, potentially reducing systemic side effects and improving patient outcomes.
