# Open-top light-sheet microscopy for non-destructive 3D pathology of prostate biopsies

> **NIH NIH R43** · ALPENGLOW BIOSCIENCES, INC. · 2020 · $397,742

## Abstract

Abstract
We are proposing a new approach for prostate cancer pathology using 3D open-top light-sheet
(OTLS) microscopy and optical clearing. Approximately 20% of patients with an initial negative
prostate biopsy procedure are found to have prostate cancer on a subsequent biopsy
procedure. Previous studies have shown that examination of 100% of biopsy tissue improved
prostate cancer detection rate, but these studies used labor-intensive manual sectioning
techniques that are practical for a clinical laboratory. We hypothesize that imaging 100% of
prostate biopsy tissue using OTLS microscopy, rather than 1-2% of the biopsy using current
pathology technology, can detect occult carcinoma that would have otherwise been missed in a
subset of patients. Furthermore, we intend to show that 3D OTLS can be seamlessly integrated
into the current clinical laboratory workflow. The specific aims of this proposal are: 1) Validate
that our OTLS methods do not interfere with the current pathology practice of formalin-fixed
paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) histology, and
immunohistochemistry (IHC), and 2) To show that 3D pathology can detect occult cancer
missed by traditional microscopy, we will compare diagnosis of “pseudo-H&E” 3D OTLS images
to traditional H&E pathology. We will use archived FFPE biopsy blocks from patients with
prostate cancer who had a negative initial biopsy result.
Through the studies in this proposal, we will validate the non-interference of our innovative 3D
OTLS methods with standard pathology practice, a necessary prerequisite for adoption within
the pathology community and for regulatory considerations. We will also provide preliminary
evidence to support the clinical value of 3D pathology. This project addresses the IMAT goal of
developing substantially improved cancer detection and risk assessment technologies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10082154
- **Project number:** 1R43CA250885-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** ALPENGLOW BIOSCIENCES, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Nicholas Reder
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $397,742
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-05 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10082154

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10082154, Open-top light-sheet microscopy for non-destructive 3D pathology of prostate biopsies (1R43CA250885-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10082154. Licensed CC0.

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