A Revealing Look at the Lungs

A Boston University researcher’s innovation has opened a new realm for discovery: real-time observation of our bodies’ most fundamental systems—starting with the lungs. Collaborating with colleagues across the University, Hadi Nia, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, developed a system that allows the lungs of a mouse to be studied outside the body.

As crucial as they are to our existence, lungs—especially those affected by disease—still hold many mysteries for scientists. Even advanced technologies such as MRI and CT scans don’t adequately support detailed analysis. Nia’s “crystal rib cage,” more formally known as LungEx, uses a ventilator and perfusion pump to keep the lungs working and a transparent container around the lungs to allow for immediate observation.

This lets Nia study the lungs at the molecular level, closely observing and monitoring the air sacs and capillary vessels in mouse lungs at work. And this, in turn, creates a better understanding of lung resilience against diseases like cancer and pneumonia. “As these diseases progress, there comes a critical point where the progression becomes irreversible, leading the lung toward collapse rather than resolution,” says Nia. “Our goal is to predict these critical points at which the entire lung is at risk of collapse.”

Along with its valuable insight into lung disease, the crystal rib cage has applications for other studies of the human body. It’s been used to image the heart in conjunction with the lungs, offering greater understanding of pulmonary hypertension or arrhythmia. Similar studies are anticipated to visualize a functioning brain. And the crystal rib cage can advance research efforts related to regenerative medicine and organ transplants.

In early 2024, Nia was awarded an esteemed Sloan Research Fellowship for this innovation. He and his collaborators are looking forward to a promising future: “[We] are thrilled and energized, ready to channel this recognition into pivotal discoveries in the fields of cancer and pulmonary diseases.”