Projects
Functional Ultrasound Imaging (fUS)
Understanding the role of gas vesicles as targeted molecular imaging agents for ultrasound
PI: Mikhail Shapiro (Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering)
SASE: Red Willow Coleman, Scholar
Many important biological processes occur deep inside living organisms. Their study requires technologies to image and manipulate cellular and molecular function non-invasively. The Shapiro Lab at Caltech is developing the first genetically encoded and engineered imaging agents for ultrasound based on gas vesicles (GVs), a unique class of hollow protein nanostructures from buoyant microbes. One area of current research focuses on understanding and engineering the acoustic properties and in vivo interactions of GVs as targeted molecular imaging agents for ultrasound.
The Schmidt Academy collaborated with the lab to develop an interactive MATLAB GUI for lab members who are looking to acquire ultrasound imagery easily. The GUI supports multiple ultrasound imaging modalities frequently used by the lab and research-specified opportunities for post-processing. Unlike the pre-existing code base of individually modified scripts that require prior understanding of MATLAB and a proprietary ultrasound acquisition system, the GUI reduces the knowledge barrier to acquire and process ultrasound imaging. In addition, use of the GUI will help to standardize imaging acquisition and software practices across the Shapiro Lab. This GUI may be eventually released to enable robust operation and compatibility across projects, research groups, and institutions.
