# Indiana Center for Advanced Renal Microscopy and Molecular Imaging

> **NIH NIH U54** · INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS · 2024 · $923,617

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract (Center Overview)
 From its inception as an NIDDK-funded P50 Center in 2002, the mission of the Indiana O’Brien Center
for Advanced Renal Microscopy has been to provide renal researchers with effective access to advanced
forms of microscopy. Over the past 20 years of continuous funding, the IU O’Brien Center has pioneered the
development and dissemination of novel methods of multiphoton intravital microscopy, quantitative tissue
cytometry and digital image analysis that have been applied in collaborative studies of renal physiology and
pathophysiology with investigators from around the world. Studies conducted with the P30 and P50 IU O’Brien
Center have generated data used in over 190 publications and numerous grant applications that have helped
launch the careers of a new generation of investigators. We look forward to continuing our work within the
consortium framework of the new U54 mechanism. The goals and projects proposed for the Center are
organized into three general aims – (1) Provide quantitative intravital microcopy of mice and rats as a service
to renal researchers. Provide hands-on training to encourage dissemination of intravital microscopy as an
effective research tool. (2) Provide quantitative, large-scale microscopy of the kidney as a service to renal
researchers. Three-dimensional confocal tissue cytometry, CODEX multiplexed cytometry and Spatial
Transcriptomics will be offered individually or in combination, supporting uniquely comprehensive molecular
characterizations. (3) Develop and implement methods of tissue clearing, light-sheet microscopy and digital
image analysis to expand the scale of quantitative microscopy of renal tissues, based upon a unique multi-
scale/multi-resolution strategy and state-of-the-art methods of digital image analysis.
 The Indiana O’Brien Center will include an Administrative Core, and two Biomedical Resource cores - an
Intravital Microscopy Core, and a Molecular Imaging Core, both hosted by the Indiana Center for Biological
Microscopy. Insofar as these two cores effectively extend services currently offered by the Indiana O’Brien
Center, they will benefit from the existing infrastructure, expertise and experience developed over the past
twenty years by the Center. The Center will also support a Resource Development Core, in collaboration with
investigators at the University of Washington, University of Nebraska and Purdue University that will develop
technologies that will start to be implemented at the beginning of the second year of funding.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10915003
- **Project number:** 5U54DK137328-02
- **Recipient organization:** INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Pierre C Dagher
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $923,617
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-01 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10915003

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10915003, Indiana Center for Advanced Renal Microscopy and Molecular Imaging (5U54DK137328-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-29 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10915003. Licensed CC0.

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