U-M awarded prestigious NIH grant to establish national center for microsystems-based biomedical imaging

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ANN ARBOR, Michigan — Researchers from the University of Michigan received a $6 million center grant from the National Institutes of Health to establish the new National Center for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NCBIB).

The center will be dedicated to microsystems-based imaging systems. Microsystems technology offers a powerful approach to design and fabricate miniature devices that perform key functions for imaging. The new center aims to become an international leader in developing these microsystems technologies, including miniaturized imaging instruments and computational tools designed to improve aspects such as focus, resolution and field of view during imaging procedures.

The center will be led by principal investigators Thomas D. Wang, M.D., Ph.D., professor of internal medicine, biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering at U-M; and Kenn R. Oldham, Ph.D., professor of mechanical engineering at U-M.

The collaborative effort will leverage U-M’s expertise in advanced microsystems, bioengineering, imaging and computational analytics.

“The NCBIB will establish our leadership in pioneering novel in vivo imaging technologies that significantly enhance biomedical research, clinical diagnostics and treatment strategies,” Wang said. “Our unique microsystems-based approach offers unprecedented imaging capabilities to track individual cells and biological processes dynamically, opening exciting new avenues for scientific discovery and clinical translation.”

The U-M NCBIB will develop miniature scanning devices and sensors for use in flexible, fiber-coupled microendoscopes. These innovations provide revolutionary improvements over traditional bulky optical imaging systems by enabling real-time cellular imaging with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution, facilitating deeper insights into disease mechanisms and therapeutic outcomes. The overarching aim of these developments is to enable the clinical translation of optical biopsy tools integrated with digital pathology to perform real-time diagnostics, enhancing accessibility for the broader patient population.

In addition, the center will advance computational methods, incorporating sophisticated machine-learning models to deliver real-time digital pathology, significantly enhancing diagnostic capabilities and treatment accuracy in clinical settings. The U-M NCBIB will foster national collaborations through a network of collaborative and service projects across a geographically diverse range of institutions.

“Through extensive training programs and outreach, our center will equip the next generation of investigators nationwide with the skills and technologies required for pioneering in vivo imaging research,” said Alwanaz Rehemtulla, Ph.D., professor of radiation oncology, who will co-lead training and dissemination initiatives.

The center's operations will be housed within U-M’s state-of-the-art facilities at the A. Alfred Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building, with essential support from the Rogel Cancer Center and the Lurie Nanofabrication Facility. Administrative support will be within the Division of Gastroenterology.

“We are thrilled to see the synergy of engineering, clinical medicine and data science recognized with this major NIH investment,” said Oldham, co-lead for the center's Microsystems Development projects. “This support significantly boosts our ability to translate microsystems innovations into impactful biomedical applications that will improve patient outcomes.”

Additional project leaders are Xiaogan Liang, Ph.D., professor of mechanical engineering; Guan Xu, Ph.D., assistant professor of ophthalmology and biomedical engineering; Dawen Cai, Ph.D., associate professor of cell and developmental biology; and Kayvan Najarian, Ph.D., professor of computational medicine and bioinformatics. Wang, Rehemtulla and Xu are members of the Rogel Cancer Center.

Learn more about the National Center for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.

Funding is from National Institutes of Health grant 1P41EB035084-01A1.