IBMI Cell Engineering

Stiel Lab

Imaging is our window into the processes of life – we bioengineer genetically encoded protein-based tools for optical imaging such as optoacoustics and super resolution microscopy.

Stiel Lab

Imaging is our window into the processes of life – we bioengineer genetically encoded protein-based tools for optical imaging such as optoacoustics and super resolution microscopy.

Go to Prof. Dr. André C. Stiel

About our research group

The Cell Engineering group is devoted to the development of novel reporters and sensors for Optoacoustic (OA) imaging and other innovative imaging methods like super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. Our main focus is on genetically encoded contrast agents since only such agents allow longitudinal and unperturbed imaging in research animal to truly understand biology and diseases contexts.

To develop novel genetically encoded tools we use molecular engineering concepts that incorporate knowledge from photo-physical studies, protein structures and computational protein design and combine those insights with efficient screening concepts to identify novel reporters or sensors for the next pressing questions in whole animal imaging.

Bioengineering

Bioengineering is an umbrella term encompassing work from numerous different disciplines and topics. For us bioengineering is engineering proteins (protein engineering). That means tapping into the most versatile ...

Photo-switchable proteins

Photo-switchable proteins are a special class of chromophore bearing proteins prominently found among the green fluorescent protein (GFP)-like ...

Photoswitching sensors

While switchable reporters are nowadays common in fluorescence super-resolution microscopy and we strive to achieve the same for optoacoustic imaging, the concept of photoswitching – and thus the imaging possibilities – have yet to be translated ...

Conventional chromophore bearing proteins

Optoacoustic labels require a strong signal in the near-infrared region to allow detection among the strong signals from tissue. For situation where no concepts like photo-switchable proteins (see above) can be used we are screening ...

Technological developments

Besides our strong research in protein engineering, we also engage in the development of infrastructure for optoacoustic spectroscopy and screening. For example, we developed ...

Fields of Work and Expertise

Label and Sensor EngineeringFunctional Understanding (Structural and Photophysically)Highthroughput Screening Techniques for Directed Evolution

Our Researchers

„I love working with colorful proteins - next to useful it makes your day in the lab just beautiful..."

Publications

Photoswitching protein-XTEN fusions as injectable optoacoustic probes.

2025 Scientific Article in ACS applied materials & interfaces

Göllner, S. ; Colditz, M. ; Huang, Y. ; Schmidt, H. ; Winkler, A.S. ; Stiel, A.-C.

Chip-based optoacoustic single cell detection in flow using point-source optimized surface acoustic wave transducers.

2025 Scientific Article in Optics Express

Liu, Y. ; Chuah, J. ; Huang, Y. ; Stiel, A.-C. ; Unser, M. ; Dong, J.

Model-based temporal unmixing towards quantitative photo-switching optoacoustic tomography.

2024 Review in Nature Methods

Stiel, A.-C. ; Ntziachristos, V.

Controlling the sound of light: photoswitching optoacoustic imaging.

2024 Scientific Article in Photoacoustics

Huang, S. ; He, H. ; Tom, R.Z. ; Glasl, S. ; Anzenhofer,P. ; Stiel, A.-C. ; Hofmann, S.M. ; Ntziachristos, V.

Non-invasive optoacoustic imaging of dermal microcirculatory revascularization in diet-induced obese mice undergoing exercise intervention.

2023 Scientific Article in Advanced functional materials

Hasler, M. ; Patrian, M. ; Banda-Vázquez, J.A. ; Ferrara, S. ; Stiel, A.-C. ; Fuenzalida-Werner, J.P. ; Costa, R.D.

Fully biogenic near-infrared phosphors: Phycobiliproteins and cellulose at force toward highly efficient and stable bio-hybrid light-emitting diodes.

2023 Scientific Article in Cancer Nanotechnology

Liu, N. ; Gujrati, V. ; Fuenzalida Werner, J.P. ; Mishra, K. ; Anzenhofer,P. ; Stiel, A.-C. ; Mettenleiter, G. ; Feuchtinger, A. ; Walch, A.K. ; Ntziachristos, V.

Bacterial outer membrane vesicles as cationic dye carriers for optoacoustics-guided phototherapy of cancer.

2023 Review in FEBS Letters

Rodrigues, E.M. ; Stiel, A.-C.

It's a two-way street: Photoswitching and reversible changes of the protein matrix in photoswitchable fluorescent proteins and bacteriophytochromes.

2022 Scientific Article in BioSpektrum

Göllner, S. ; Mishra, K. ; Stiel, A.-C.

Schallschalter: Photoschaltbare Reporter und Sensoren in der Optoakustik.

2022 Review in Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews

Liu, N. ; Mishra, K. ; Stiel, A.-C. ; Gujrati, V. ; Ntziachristos, V.

The sound of drug delivery: Optoacoustic imaging in pharmacology.

2022 Scientific Article in Photoacoustics

Fuenzalida Werner, J.P. ; Mishra, K. ; Stankevych, M. ; Klemm, U. ; Ntziachristos, V. ; Stiel, A.-C.

Alginate beads as a highly versatile test-sample for optoacoustic imaging.

2021 Scientific Article in Scientific Reports

Yun, M. ; You, S.H. ; Nguyen, V.H. ; Prakash, J. ; Glasl, S. ; Gujrati, V. ; Choy, H.E. ; Stiel, A.-C. ; Min, J.J. ; Ntziachristos, V.

Reporter gene-based optoacoustic imaging of E. coli targeted colon cancer in vivo.

2021 Scientific Article in Nature Biotechnology

Mishra, K. ; Fuenzalida Werner, J.P. ; Pennacchietti, F. ; Janowski, R. ; Chmyrov, A. ; Huang, Y. ; Zakian Dominguez, C.M. ; Klemm, U. ; Testa, I. ; Niessing, D. ; Ntziachristos, V. ; Stiel, A.-C.

Genetically encoded photo-switchable molecular sensors for optoacoustic and super-resolution imaging.

2021 Review in Methods in Enzymology

Stankevych, M. ; Mishra, K. ; Ntziachristos, V. ; Stiel, A.-C.

A practical guide to photoswitching optoacoustics tomography.

2021 Scientific Article in Photoacoustics

Liu, N. ; Gujrati, V. ; Malekzadeh-Najafabadi, J. ; Werner, J.P,F. ; Klemm, U. ; Tang, L. ; Chen, Z. ; Prakash, J. ; Huang, Y. ; Stiel, A.-C. ; Mettenleiter, G. ; Aichler, M. ; Blutke, A. ; Walch, A.K. ; Kleigrewe, K. ; Razansky, D. ; Sattler, M. ; Ntziachristos, V.

Croconaine-based nanoparticles enable efficient optoacoustic imaging of murine brain tumors.

2021 Scientific Article in Nature

Herud-Sikimić, O. ; Stiel, A.-C. ; Kolb, M. ; Shanmugaratnam, S. ; Berendzen, K.W. ; Feldhaus, C. ; Höcker, B. ; Jürgens, G.

A biosensor for the direct visualization of auxin.

2021 Scientific Article in Scientific Reports

Seeger, M. ; Stiel, A.-C. ; Ntziachristos, V.

In vitro optoacoustic flow cytometry with light scattering referencing.

2020 Scientific Article in Neoplasia : An International Journal for Oncology Research

Dean-Ben, X.L. ; Weidenfeld, I. ; Degtyaruk, O. ; Ntziachristos, V. ; Stiel, A.-C. ; Razansky, D.

Deep tissue volumetric optoacoustic tracking of individual circulating tumor cells in an in intracardially perfused mouse model.

2020 Scientific Article in Analytical Chemistry

Fuenzalida Werner, J.P. ; Huang, Y. ; Mishra, K. ; Janowski, R. ; Vetschera, P. ; Heichler, C. ; Chmyrov, A. ; Neufert, C. ; Niessing, D. ; Ntziachristos, V. ; Stiel, A.-C.

Challenging a preconception: Optoacoustic spectrum differs from the absorption spectrum of proteins and dyes for molecular imaging.

2020 Scientific Article in Science Advances

Mishra, K. ; Stankevych, M. ; Fuenzalida Werner, J.P. ; Grassmann, S. ; Gujrati, V. ; Huang, Y. ; Klemm, U. ; Buchholz, V.R. ; Ntziachristos, V. ; Stiel, A.-C.

Cell Engineering

Science

Bioengineering

Photo-switchable proteins

Photoswitching sensors

Conventional chromophore bearing proteins

Technological developments

Anna Dachs

Dr. Javier Garcia Lopez

Dr. Yishu Huang

Huma Khatoon

Sangmun Lee

Alishbah Maqsood

Dr. Kenana Muaiad Al Adem

Azeem Mohammed

Elsa Rodrigues

Selina Schulz

Bingzhi Wang

Dr. David Wiesner

Looking for a new challenge?

We are constantly looking for motivated Interns, Bachelor and Master students with a passion for science. Preferably, with an understanding and interest for protein engineering, “colorful” proteins and imaging but we are also open for talents from oth

Publications

Cell Engineering: Contact

Prof. Dr. André C. Stiel