# A Wireless Multi-function Microscope for Lifetime Imaging of the Brain Tumor Vasculome

> **NIH NIH R01** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $453,962

## Abstract

ABSTRACTPreclinical and clinical evidence has shown that brain tumors can alter the structure and function of the
central nervous system microvasculature (i.e. CNS vasculome) during progression, therapy and the emergence of
therapeutic resistance. Brain tumor progression related vasculome remodeling occurs via angiogenesis (i.e. new blood
vessel formation). In contrast, non-angiogenic pathways such as ‘co-option’ (i.e. tumor cells hijacking extant blood
vessels) and ‘immunomodulation’ (i.e. vascular changes induced by the infiltration of immune cells) are involved in
antiangiogenic resistance and immunotherapy evasion, respectively. To elucidate the role of these angiogenic and non-
angiogenic pathways on brain tumor progression and therapeutic response necessitates the development of imaging
tools that can characterize early to advanced in vivo changes in the CNS vasculome (i.e. over the lifetime of the disease).
Therefore, our goal is to build a wireless ‘plug-n-play’ multichannel microscope capable of imaging structural/functional
microvascular (~7-10 µm) changes in vivo, over the entire lifetime of a brain tumor. We propose to exploit advances in
miniaturized optics, image sensor design and wireless technology to fabricate a miniature, wireless microscope with
three channels: fluorescence (FL) to image fluorescent brain tumor cells or dyes; intrinsic optical signals (IOS) to image
cerebral blood volume (CBV) and intravascular oxygenation (HbSat); and laser speckle contrast (LSC) to image cerebral
blood flow (CBF). Guided by compelling preliminary data, we will pursue the following Specific Aims: (1) Develop a
tether-free multichannel microscope with on-chip compressed sensing and wireless transmission; (2) Characterize the in
vivo vasculome in angiogenic and co-optive patient-derived (PDX) brain tumor models over their lifetime; and
(3) Characterize in vivo changes in the vasculome induced by the immune microenvironment of brain tumors. Under
Aim1 we will fabricate a specialized image sensor with compressed sensing for ultra-low power wireless operation. After
validation against an equivalent benchtop imaging system, we will image the CNS vasculome in healthy mice without the
confounding effects of anesthetics. This will include identifying microvessel type (i.e. artery vs. vein) with FL, quantifying
vascular morphology and HbSat with IOS, perfusion with LSC, and mapping ‘microvascular connectivity’ by correlating
CBV (or CBF) fluctuations in microvessels. Under Aim2 we will characterize differences in the CNS vasculomes of clinically
relevant angiogenic and co-optive patient-derived xenografts, and assess if the former exhibits larger disruptions in
microvascular connectivity due to vascular remodeling. Under Aim3, we will characterize in vivo differences in the CNS
vasculomes of wild-type and non-immunosuppressed xenografts, to determine if alleviating immunosuppression
increases CBV/CBF/HbSat and promotes recruitment of tumor associated m...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9914541
- **Project number:** 1R01CA237597-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Arvind P Pathak
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $453,962
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2019-12-12 → 2024-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9914541

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9914541, A Wireless Multi-function Microscope for Lifetime Imaging of the Brain Tumor Vasculome (1R01CA237597-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-14 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9914541. Licensed CC0.

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