SCIENCE AT THE EDGE SEMINAR

QB/GEDD

Friday, March 4 at 11:30am

Room 1400 Biomedical and Physical Sciences Bldg.

Refreshments at 11:15

 

 

 

Thomas J. Meade

Department of Chemistry, Molecular Biosciences, Neurobiology and Physiology and Radiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

 

 

 

The Coordination Chemistry of Signal Amplification and

Targeting for MR Probe Development

 

 

During the last decade there has been significant advances in MR contrast agent design and experimental testing. To overcome the limitations of previous generations of contrast probes, new agents have incorporated multiple chelation sites for Gd(III) while optimizing the rotational correlation time, t_m, targeting, cellular uptake and creating responsive properties. We have focused on three aspects of probe development with the ultimate goal of cell patterning and recognition studies. Our approach is to optimize the key parameters that determine relaxivity into relatively small molecule coordination complexes by: i. agents responsive to in vivo physiological or biochemical events ii. cell-permeable MR agents to increase local concentration and iii. amplification of the MR signal by attachment to large molecules.  As a result, we have developed a new modular scaffold that incorporates multiple Gd(III) chelates and functional groups for modification with other imaging probes or attachment to proteins and particles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Helen Geiger

Administrative Assistant

Quantitative Biology Graduate Program/

Gene Expression in Development & Disease

Michigan State University

502B Biochemistry Building

East Lansing, MI   48824

Phone:  (517) 432-9895

Fax:  (517) 353-9334

E-mail: [log in to unmask]

Web: http://qbmi.msu.edu

http://www.bch.msu.edu/GEDD/index.htm