# Vectra Polaris microscope imaging system

> **NIH NIH S10** · COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $451,750

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
This proposal seeks funding for a Vectra® Polaris™ Automated Quantitative Imaging System (Polaris™), a state-
of-the-art multispectral imaging microscope to serve multiple NIH-supported projects within the Mycobacteria
Research Laboratories (MRL) at Colorado State University (CSU). Our collective mission is to develop effective
chemotherapies and vaccines for mycobacterial diseases affecting millions worldwide. The biological activity and
safety profile of candidate vaccines and treatments can only be fully understood through characterizing the host
immune response, primarily by evaluating large networks of immune biomarkers through flow cytometry and
immunohistochemistry. MRL researchers are seeking to visualize the spatial expression of immune biomarkers by
multiplex staining of intact tissue samples obtained from preclinical models of mycobacterial diseases. Until now,
microscopic analysis of biomarkers through confocal and traditional immunofluorescence was drastically limited by
autofluorescence in tissue (especially in formalin fixed and diseased tissue) and low signal-to-noise ratios. The
Polaris™ system has a unique set of microscopic capabilities that combined with the inForm® workstation allows
simultaneous identification and quantification of multiple targets and their spatial relationships in tissue sections
and microarrays. A critical aspect of the PolarisTM multispectral technology is the ability to readily distinguish
autofluorescence from positive biomarker signal, improving the signal-to-noise ratio substantially. This allows for a
more sensitive and accurate analysis of samples and enables true cell-to-cell interactions to be revealed. The
system is user-friendly, and its automated scanning system allows for high speed digital and whole-slide scanning
between 10-40x in brightfield or fluorescence. The nature of the illumination system significantly decreases
deleterious effects such as photobleaching and photodamage, and thus specimens can be imaged for longer
periods of time than with, for example, a confocal microscope. Furthermore, the advanced machine-learning based
approaches of the included software automatically segment and quantitate tissue structures. The Polaris™ system
will be incorporated into our existing microscopy core facility in order to expand access to trainees and other
research groups at CSU and in Northern Colorado, while prioritizing access for the major users. Incorporation into
the foundational core will sustain long term operation and provide consistent oversight and training. In summary,
this state-of-the-art imaging technology is of critical importance to development of chemotherapies and vaccines
by the MRL and will add value to multiple other NIH-supported projects at CSU.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10175807
- **Project number:** 1S10OD030263-01
- **Recipient organization:** COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Mercedes Gonzalez-Juarrero
- **Activity code:** S10 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $451,750
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10175807

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10175807, Vectra Polaris microscope imaging system (1S10OD030263-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10175807. Licensed CC0.

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