# Mapping Single Extracellular Vesicles to Parent Cells for Immunotherapy Monitoring

> **NIH NIH R00** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2022 · $248,999

## Abstract

This proposal aims to develop an ultra-high sensitive platform that can map cell and extracellular
vesicle (EV) molecular information at the single particle level, and apply it to profile tumor immune
microenvironment (TIME) for immunotherapy monitoring. This technology can resolve
heterogeneity of biological systems and has the potential to discover robust biomarkers that can
accurately profile status of the body for disease diagnostics. This proposal hypothesizes that
single cell-single EV mapping will provide new molecular information on cell-cell communication
for better understanding of pathological development and disease diagnosis. The goals of this
proposal are threefold: i) development of single EV protein sequencing technology to resolve EV
heterogeneity and discover rare EV subtypes for disease biomarkers, ii) ultra-fast cycling for
multiplexed live cell fluorescence imaging to monitor the changes of cellular phenotypes and
identify multiple immune cell types, and iii) single cell-single EV mapping to discover new
molecular information on cell-cell communication through vesicle secretion. This technology will
allow repeat sampling and monitoring of TIME during the course of immunotherapy and provide
guidance to achieve the best possible patient outcomes.
With the expertise in microfluidics, molecular biology, and machine learning, Jina Ko (the PI of this
proposal) has developed new micro- and nano-technologies for liquid biopsy that can extract
multidimensional molecular data from blood-based biomarkers (e.g. circulating tumor cells, EV).
She has extended her expertise to chemistry, droplet microfluidics, and translational medicine to
develop novel platforms that will serve as a fundamental work to this proposal. She has recently
developed i) ultra-high sensitive single EV profiling technology using droplet digital PCR and ii)
ultra-fast cycling for multiplexed cellular fluorescence imaging. Through this work, Jina has forged
research collaborations within and outside the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard
Medical School at the Wyss Institute and Harvard University. Building upon these achievements,
this work will be executed with a team of world experts in droplet microfluidics and physics
(Weitz), molecular imaging and diagnostics (Weissleder), immunology (Pittet), exosome biology
and neurogenetics (Breakefield), and neurosurgery and oncology (Chiocca) who will provide a full
support on this work. Working with these mentors will allow her to tackle clinically challenging
problems and further develop her career as an independent investigator with the ability to develop
next generation medical diagnostics.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10569343
- **Project number:** 4R00CA256353-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** JINA KO
- **Activity code:** R00 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $248,999
- **Award type:** 4N
- **Project period:** 2022-06-01 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10569343

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10569343, Mapping Single Extracellular Vesicles to Parent Cells for Immunotherapy Monitoring (4R00CA256353-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10569343. Licensed CC0.

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