In a groundbreaking advancement poised to revolutionize therapeutic interventions, Sreekanth Chalasani, PhD, a leading neuroscientist at the Salk Institute, has been awarded up to $41.3 million by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to propel his pioneering sonogenetics technology towards clinical application. This multifaceted project, backed by a consortium of prestigious institutions, aims to refine and develop sonogenetics as a noninvasive, cell-specific strategy to treat a variety of human diseases, including debilitating peripheral neuropathies.
Sonogenetics represents a novel frontier in biomedical science, enabling the precise manipulation of cellular activity using low-intensity ultrasound waves. This technique hinges on sensitizing targeted cells by genetically encoding them with ultrasound-responsive proteins, thereby allowing external control over cellular functions with exceptional spatiotemporal resolution. Unlike conventional drug therapies, which broadly affect tissues and incur systemic side effects, sonogenetics offers a drug-free modality, promising pinpoint accuracy in treatment delivery both spatially and temporally.
The genesis of sonogenetics dates back to 2015, when Chalasani’s team identified a mechanosensitive protein in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans that conferred ultrasound sensitivity to otherwise unresponsive cells. By ectopically expressing this protein in specific neurons, they demonstrated that acoustic energy—comparable to the frequencies used in medical ultrasonography—could selectively activate cellular pathways. This seminal discovery not only coined the term “sonogenetics” but also laid a robust foundation for extending ultrasound control to mammalian systems.
Under the auspices of ARPA-H funding, an ambitious interdisciplinary collaboration will integrate expertise from multiple research institutions to translate sonogenetics from experimental proof-of-concept to a viable therapeutic platform. At the molecular level, the project will leverage the Nobel Laureate Ardem Patapoutian’s team at Scripps Research to engineer and optimize ultrasound-sensitive proteins. These proteins function as specialized mechanosensors that transduce ultrasonic mechanical stimuli into intracellular biochemical signals, enabling precise modulation of cell behavior.
Building upon molecular engineering, researchers at St. Boniface Hospital Research and the University of Manitoba will elucidate the intracellular signaling cascades triggered by ultrasound activation. Their work focuses on understanding how mechanotransduction pathways propagate to drive nerve regeneration and repair, vital knowledge for harnessing sonogenetics in neuropathic conditions. Concurrently, Duke University will develop sophisticated viral vectors designed to deliver ultrasound-sensitive genes selectively to target cell types, thereby enhancing specificity and safety of gene-based treatments.
Complementing the biological innovations, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Mechanical Engineering Department will pioneer the design of wearable and implantable ultrasound delivery systems tailored for sustained and calibrated acoustic stimulation in both preclinical animal models and human patients. Such devices must deliver consistent, localized ultrasound energy at programmable intensities while minimizing tissue heating and off-target effects, integrating seamlessly with clinical workflows.
Validation of the therapeutic efficacy of sonogenetics in mammalian models is central to the translational roadmap. At the University of California San Diego, Nigel Calcutt’s team will utilize established behavioral and physiological paradigms to assess functional recovery and symptom amelioration post-sonogenetic intervention. Parallel efforts at the California Medical Innovations Institute will conduct advanced preclinical assessments to ensure robustness, reproducibility, and safety profiles mandated for regulatory submissions.
Critical to the translation from bench to bedside is the strategic role of SonoNeu, a startup co-founded to streamline interdisciplinary coordination and navigate regulatory landscapes efficiently. This entity serves as a nexus for consolidating research outputs, engaging with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and charting commercialization pathways, ensuring that sonogenetics advances beyond academic promise towards practical, patient-ready solutions.
Chalasani’s vision for sonogenetics is transformative—a therapeutic paradigm where ultrasound serves as a precise, controllable switch for cellular activity, orchestrating treatments that are truly on-demand and localized. This approach circumvents the systemic toxicity and off-target complications inherent in pharmacological therapies, opening new avenues for diseases traditionally refractory to treatment, especially in neurological and peripheral nerve disorders.
The inception of this bold line of inquiry was seeded with philanthropic support from Joan and Irwin Jacobs in 2011, catalyzing high-risk, high-reward research at the Salk Institute. The current ARPA-H award underscores the growing recognition and momentum behind sonogenetics, affirming the crucial shift towards technologies that integrate biological engineering with innovative device development to redefine therapeutic modalities.
As sonogenetics progresses through the delineated translational milestones, it harbors the potential to establish a new class of therapies that harness acoustic energy to modulate biology with an unprecedented degree of control. This could usher in an era where managing complex disorders is no longer constrained by the limitations of drug chemistry but empowered by the precision of physical stimuli and synthetic biology.
While initially focused on peripheral neuropathies, the modularity and versatility of sonogenetic platforms envisage future applications spanning central nervous system disorders, metabolic conditions, and possibly cancer. The multidisciplinary collaboration and technical ingenuity driving this initiative promise to set a benchmark for next-generation therapeutic technologies, combining genetic specificity with noninvasive physical actuation.
Sonogenetics thus embodies a quintessential example of convergent science—melding molecular biology, bioengineering, neuroscience, and clinical medicine. Through robust innovation pipelines, unwavering commitment to translational rigor, and strategic industry partnerships, the project exemplifies the paradigm shift toward therapies that are not only effective but also minimally invasive, personalized, and dynamically controllable.
Subject of Research: Noninvasive control of mammalian cells using ultrasound-responsive proteins (sonogenetics) for therapeutic applications.
Article Title: Salk Institute’s Sonogenetics Receives $41.3M ARPA-H Award to Launch a New Era of Precision Ultrasound Therapies
News Publication Date: April 7, 2026
Web References:
- Salk Institute official website: www.salk.edu
- ARPA-H official website: https://arpa-h.gov/
Image Credits: Salk Institute
Keywords
Sonogenetics, ultrasound therapy, mechanosensitive proteins, peripheral neuropathy, noninvasive treatment, synthetic biology, ultrasound delivery systems, mechanotransduction, gene therapy, translational medicine, wearable ultrasound, neural repair, ARPA-H funding
