UC Irvine Receives its First ARPA-H Award to Advance Lymphatic Imaging, Precision Care

“This award gives us the opportunity to assess the lymphatic system in ways that haven’t been possible before,” says lead investigator Sabee Molloi (right), UC Irvine professor of radiological sciences, here with co-investigator Cholsoon Jang, assistant professor of biological chemistry, and a high-end CT scanner. “Our goal is to make diagnosis more precise and treatment decisions more informed, without putting additional burden on patients.” Steve Zylius / UC Irvine

• Funding will enable researchers to pursue approach that uses CT scans and blood-based biomarkers to accurately measure lymphatic flow.
• The work aims to improve diagnosis and treatment of systemic dysfunction.
• Up-to-five-year award is from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health.

Irvine, Calif., Jan. 21, 2026 — The University of California, Irvine has received its first award from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, launching a major effort to improve how doctors detect and treat diseases of the lymphatic system.

The up-to-five-year, $7.45 million award supports a project called “Quantitative Assessment of Thoracic Duct Obstruction,” part of ARPA-H’s Lymphatic Imaging, Genomics and Phenotyping Technologies program, which seeks to better understand and diagnose lymphatic disease.

Led by Sabee Molloi, professor of radiological sciences, and co-investigator Cholsoon Jang, assistant professor of biological chemistry, the School of Medicine team is developing a safer, noninvasive way to assess lymphatic fluid flow, a process that has long been difficult to measure.

The researchers are working on an advanced imaging approach that uses CT scans to track lymphatic flow, paired with blood-based markers that offer additional clues about how the lymphatic system is functioning. Together, the tools could give physicians a clearer picture of problems that are often missed or diagnosed late.

Read the full press release in UC Irvine News.