Nanodiamond quantum sensing in redox cell biology by hyperspectral microscopy

Oxidative stress caused by dysregulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays a critical role in neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and aging. Despite its importance, the boundary between ROS beneficial signaling and harmful oxidative stress remains poorly defined, in part due to limited tools for precise, real- time measurement of redox dynamics in live cells. Clarifying how cells respond to different ROS levels is essential to understanding redox regulation and developing strategies to mitigate oxidative damage. A better grasp of these mechanisms could impact diverse fields including neuroscience, cancer biology, and metabolic disease. The Usselman Lab at Florida Tech brings a unique combination of redox biology, hyperspectral imaging, and quantum sensing expertise. As a teaching-intensive institution, we also engage undergraduates directly in hands-on research, building the next generation of STEM leaders through immersive, high-impact training. We will engineer chemogenetic systems using D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) to generate H₂O₂ with spatial and dose control in mammalian cells. Redox dynamics will be quantified using ratiometric biosensors, Seahorse metabolic assays, and a novel optically detected magnetic resonance microscopy (ODMRM) platform with nanodiamond quantum sensors. These tools will allow us to define oxidative thresholds, measure mitochondrial responses, and track real-time redox changes with subcellular resolution. This multidisciplinary approach offers a powerful framework for understanding redox adaptation and stress, with broad implications for human health. Project Number: 1R15GM164941-01 | Fiscal Year: 2026 | NIH Institute/Center: National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) | Principal Investigator: Robert Usselman | Institution: FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, MELBOURNE, FL | Award Amount: $527,392 | Activity Code: R15 | Study Section: Special Emphasis Panel[ZRG1 MCST-N (85)] View on NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11360430