Researchers have developed a new pH probe and imaging technique to provide researchers more information when studying diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.

Now, University of Cincinnati cancer biologists have developed a new piece of technology and a new imaging technique that will help researchers glean more detailed data points and see cells in more precise detail when studying the development of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

Jiajie Diao, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Cancer Biology in UC’s College of Medicine, recently published an article detailing the progress in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials.

New probe

Some of Diao’s research focuses on a tiny part inside cells, called a lysosome, that is involved in cell processes. A lysosome is an «organelle,» or a specialized structure that performs various jobs inside cells. In the same way organs, such as the heart, liver, stomach and kidneys, serve specific functions to keep an organism alive, organelles serve specific functions to keep a cell alive. Diao’s research centers on the lysosomes that act as the «recycling center» within cells, helping the cell reuse broken or malfunctioning building blocks for different purposes.

To accomplish its job, lysosomes need to be in an acidic environment and generally have a low pH value. However, abnormal pH levels within lysosomes have been associated with cellular malfunctions that can lead to diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

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