Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41533785›Full record

ArticleScience advances2026

A programmable genetic platform for engineering noninvasive biosensors.

Asish N Chacko, Kaamini M Dhanabalan, Jinyang Wan, Roy Chien, Nolan T Anderson, Binzhi Xu, Katie Pham, Ritu Tiwari, Arnab Mukherjee

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Science advances, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. A genetic reporter for visualizing nitroreductase activity using magnetic resonance imaging.Chemistry methods : new approaches to solving problems in chemistry · 2026
    Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Asish N ChackoDepartment of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.ORCID 0009-0003-4911-7015
Kaamini M DhanabalanDepartment of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2212-5720
Jinyang WanDepartment of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.ORCID 0009-0003-4993-8577
Roy ChienDepartment of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.ORCID 0009-0008-3949-3072
Nolan T AndersonDepartment of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6030-4960
Binzhi XuInterdisciplinary Program in Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
Katie PhamDepartment of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
Ritu TiwariDepartment of Diagnostic and Biomedical Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77054, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7497-1999
Arnab MukherjeeDepartment of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3571-8015

Funding

Metal-free, genetically encoded reporters for calcium recording with MRIR01NS128278 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA · PI Tod Edward Kippin, Arnab Mukherjee · 2023 to 2026
$1.9M
Engineering fluorescence and magnetic resonance reporter genes for imaging biological function in hypoxic cells and in vivoR35GM133530 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA · PI MUKHERJEE, ARNAB · 2019 to 2023
$1.6M
NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM133530NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS128278
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Creating genetic sensors for noninvasive visualization of biological activities in optically opaque tissues holds immense potential for basic research and the development of genetic and cell-based therapies. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) stands out among deep tissue imaging methods for its ability to generate high-resolution images without ionizing radiation. However, the adoption of MRI as a mainstream biomolecular technology has been hindered by the lack of adaptable methods to link molecular events with genetically encodable contrast. Here, we introduce modular aquaporin-based protease-activatable probes for enhanced reporting (MAPPER), a platform for the systematic creation of genetic sensors for MRI. To develop MAPPER, we engineered protease-activatable MRI reporters using two approaches: protein stabilization and subcellular trafficking. We established the applicability of MAPPER in distinct mammalian cell types and demonstrated its versatility by assembling genetic sensors for diverse targets without requiring extensive customization for each target. MAPPER provides a programmable platform for streamlining the development of noninvasive, nonionizing genetic sensors for biomedical research and in vivo diagnostics.

Indexed as

Biosensing TechniquesGenetic EngineeringMagnetic Resonance ImagingAnimalsAquaporinsHumansPeptide HydrolasesAquaporinsPeptide Hydrolases

Identifiers

PMID41533785
PMCPMC12802846

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.