KAER LABS
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Glioblastoma fluorescence detection
Aim: Optical tools that can reliably differentiate tumor from healthy tissue might allow more radical yet safer resection at the tumor border. This is particularly relevant for infiltrative tumors in eloquent areas such as glioblastoma. Better preclinical imaging techniques might help better validate tumor and fluorescence signal co localization. This is particularly relevant ex vivo where fluorescence signal could be related to histopathological features (such as necrosis or infiltration). Here, we introduce an in - and ex vivo workflow to study tumor specific accumulation of near-infrared probes in orthotopic PDX models.
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Approach: Injection of fluorescent tracker in vivo. In vivo imaging / MRI imaging and brain harvesting and freezing. Multi Wavelength excitation for the detection of autofluorescence and fluorescence
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Result: 3D cryo-fluorescence tomography allows more robust target validation of probes that are being considered for clinical translation.
Schematic diagram of a longitudinal workflow: from in vivo imaging of fluorescent probe uptake to image guided surgery to three dimension ex vivo imaging with Kinsight
Figure A. In vivo fluorescence, MRI, and ex vivo cryo fluorescence tomography images. Left column: fluorescent imaging of brain tumor in a mouse injected with a targeted near infrared probe. Following columns: MRI imaging of the brain tumor (2nd column) and corresponding reflection images (3rd column) and fluorescent signal (4th column, excitation 785 nm and collection above 800 nm) as detected using the cryo fluorescence tomography system Kinsight. B. 3D reconstruction from the Kinsight images, showing the whole brain( purple) and the tumor volume (gray) inside the brain.
From Ali M, van der Kuil KTH, Khodakivskyi P, de Bruijn P, Koolen SW, Lamfers MLM, Gao Z, Amin M, Goun E, Dirven CMF, Balvers RK, Mezzanotte L. A micellar nanoprobe for fluorescence image-guided delineation of glioblastoma margins. Pharmacol Res. 2025 Sep;219:107881. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2025.107881. Epub 2025 Jul 23. PMID: 40712765.
Kinsight as a service​
In collaboration with the microscopy and histology platform MicroPICell from Nantes University / SFR François Bonamy, Kaer Labs can propose the technique as a service. It is as simple as shipping us your organs embedded in paraffin or frozen in OCT. Contact us for more information on prices and processes.
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