# In vivo Macroscopic Fluorescence Lifetime Molecular Optical Imaging

> **NIH NIH R01** · RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE · 2021 · $190,373

## Abstract

In vivo Time-Resolved Wide-Field Molecular Optical Tomography (Parent R01)
ABSTRACT
There is still great need in better characterizing new targeted therapies in vivo, especially prior to clinical
translation. In this regard, preclinical molecular imaging is a central tool in the targeted drug development
pipeline. However, there is still a lack of integrated imaging platforms that can enable longitudinal (multiple time
points) and spatially-resolved monitoring of complex fingerprints including molecular, metabolic and functional
signatures in the same tumor/subject. This new integrated multiplexing imaging platform will play a crucial role
in the development of the next generation of targeted drugs and elucidating (multi-) drug resistance mechanisms.
Recently, we have demonstrated the unique capabilities of optical imaging in quantifying receptor-target
engagement in live subjects by leveraging fluorescence lifetime. This outstanding achievement was realized
thanks to the combination of instrumental, algorithmic and biochemical innovations to enable, for the first time,
whole-body time-resolved optical imaging based on structured light for 2D or 3D Förster resonance energy
transfer (FRET) imaging in live subjects. Herein, using the RFA-CA-20-021, Revision Applications for
Incorporation of NCI-Supported Technology to Accelerate Cancer Research, we propose to expand on the
parent R01 and employ the IMAT-funded meditope antibody technology to quantitatively monitor in vivo and non-
invasively the efficacy of HER2 receptor-targeted drug delivery systems using macroscopy fluorescence lifetime
imaging (MFLI)-FRET imaging. We will establish and optimize an antibody-to-target imaging pipeline to
quantitatively monitor the binding of near-infrared labeled anti-HER2 meditope antibodies to their respective
targets (target engagement) in heterogeneous breast tumor microenvironments.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10277118
- **Project number:** 3R01CA250636-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** Margarida Barroso
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $190,373
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-05-01 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10277118

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10277118, In vivo Macroscopic Fluorescence Lifetime Molecular Optical Imaging (3R01CA250636-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10277118. Licensed CC0.

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