Portable Optical System for Preclinical Monitoring of Biological Processes in Non-transgenic Animals

Bioluminescent imaging (BLI) is considered the most sensitive and broadly used small animal imaging modality that covers a wide range of therapeutic areas. BLI allows more data to be collected from a single animal, achieving better statistical power with a reduced number of animals. These advantages significantly lower the cost of drug discovery and result in higher confidence in clinical decision-making. However, current technology relies on the use of transgenic animals that represent only a limited number of current animal models of human disease. In collaboration with NIST, we report the development of a "portable bioluminescent" (PBL) technology that allows the use of BLI in virtually any animal model and potentially even humans (Nature Communications, 2021)2. The cost-effective and portable features of PBL, combined with excellent sensitivity, allow for immediate translation in numerous areas of preclinical and clinical research. Here, we propose to expand applications of PBL technology to study metabolite uptake, mitochondria, and gut microbiota function. These applications would cover a wide range of important biological processes involved in a plethora of human pathologies. Altogether, these results would allow quick translation of this powerful tool to multiple areas of drug discovery resulting in more effective treatments.