Immunotherapy is a promising approach to use the immune system to fight cancer. However, response rates to clinically approved therapies are less than 30%. Moreover, current clinical imaging technologies cannot reveal if the therapy is working until months after it is first administered. We are working on a “wireless, fluorescence microscope-on-chip” that can be implanted in a tumor and monitor the interactions of multiple types of immune cells in real-time as they respond to therapy, allowing clinicians to rapidly identify mechanisms of resistance and adapt the therapy to generate a response. Our technology leverages innovations in lensless imaging, CMOS IC design, and ultrasound-based wireless power harvesting and communication to achieve a miniaturized form factor suitable for long-term implantation deep in the body.

Targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT), whereby a tumor-targeted molecule is linked to a therapeutic beta- or alpha-emitting radioactive nuclide, is a promising treatment modality for patients with metastatic cancer, delivering radiation systemically. However, patients still progress due to suboptimal dosing, driven by the large patient-to-patient variability. Therefore, the ability to continuously monitor the real-time dose deposition in tumors and organs at risk enables personalized TRT dosing with the potential to significantly enhance treatment efficacy. We developed the world's first single beta-particle sensitive dosimeter consisting of a 0.27 mm3 monolithic silicon chiplet, directly implanted into the tumor. To maximize the sensitivity and have enough detection area, minimum size diodes (1 um2) are arrayed in 64x64. SPECT/CT scans are used to verify measured data.

A hallmark of a successful curative-intent cancer surgery is the complete removal of all diseases, both gross and microscopic, with minimal damage to neighboring healthy tissue. We introduce a lens-less and chip-based fluorescence imaging platform, VISION (Versatile Imaging Sensor for Intra-Operative Navigation), capable of highly sensitive intraoperative imaging within a compact form factor for maximal maneuverability in the resection cavity. Our custom-designed image sensor is placed in direct contact with the tissue to capture fluorescence emissions before they diverge, enabling microscopic detection without bulky lenses. Through this approach, the entire imaging system is reduced to a thin planar sensor with integrated optics. 

A biosensing platform that is multiparametric, highly scalable, portable, and sensitive, capable of monitoring complex dynamic molecular parameters, holds the potential to revolutionize our capacity for early diagnosis and understanding of the progression of diseases. 

We introduce a first-of-its-kind electronic-photonic label-free sensor with nanophotonic micro-ring resonators (MRRs) and electronics on the same chip of a high-volume CMOS 45-nm advanced electronic process. The seamless integration of nanophotonic ring resonators with on-chip electronics paves the way for intelligent, monolithic, and scalable lab-on-chip (LoC) photonic devices.  These devices have the capability to monitor real-time multi-molecular dynamics, making them suitable for Point-of-Care (PoC) settings.

The BASE (Bio-implantable Arrayed Sensing Environment) system -- composed of BASE-Hub (implant IC) and BASE-Link (wireless link) -- aims to provide a platform for continuous, untethered sensing within the body for disease tracking. Harnessing the longevity and power density of novel miniature batteries, BASE-Hub operates and collects data from a customizable array of sensors prior to wireless backscatter readout through BASE-Link. In addition, BASE-Link performs wireless power transfer through near-field inductive coupling to enable periodic battery recharging through BASE-Hub's power management system.