# Sugar Probed SRS Volumetric imaging of Metabolic Activities

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2023 · $394,094

## Abstract

Project Summary
Visualizing metabolic activities in situ is critical to understanding many biological processes. It
is the metabolism which carries out the genetic blue print and maintain life. Sugar such as
glucose is an essential nutrient for human being and animals, not only provides energy, but
also is building blocks for synthesizing new biomass such as protein, lipid, RNA/DNA, and
glycogen. Our proposed study is to develop and optimize a new generation of deuterated
glucose ([D]-glucose) probed 3D volumetric multiplex stimulated Raman scattering (SRS)
imaging platform. In aim I, various types of [D]-glucose including [D1], [D2], [D5], [D7], and [D12]-
glucose will be studied and optimized for visualizing metabolic dynamics and heterogeneity in
animals. The carbon-deuterium (C-D) chemical bond in the newly synthesized molecules such
as C-D labeled proteins, lipids, DNA/RNA, carbohydrates will be imaged in the “cell silent
region” of Raman spectra. In addition, based on diverse spectral patterns of metabolites
derived from different isotopologues, metabolite synthesis in multiple time points will be
visualized in a single image. In Aim II, a new generation of enhanced tissue clearing recipe
will be screened and designed for large scale 3D volumetric imaging (20x deeper penetration)
of [D]-glucose probed metabolic activities and heterogeneity in animal models. In Aim III,
custom designed spectral unmixing algorithm and protocol will be established to maximize the
potential of detecting more than 20 newly synthesized C-D labeled molecules and minimize
the background signal. Our computational resources and algorithms will optimize numerous
variables in complicated hyperspectral imaging datasets for studying organ specific metabolic
dynamics and heterogeneity. Using the resources and algorithms, we will optimize a platform
to unmix multiple old and newly synthesized molecules and quantitatively dissect the in situ
detritions. Completion of the proposed study will potentially reveal mechanistic fundamentals
of multiple molecular pathways related to glucose metabolism in different organs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10639208
- **Project number:** 1R01GM149976-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Lingyan Shi
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $394,094
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-09-21 → 2028-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10639208

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10639208, Sugar Probed SRS Volumetric imaging of Metabolic Activities (1R01GM149976-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10639208. Licensed CC0.

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