Functional Medical Imaging

The main aim of this project is the generation of highly targeted multimodal and biocompatible mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) that can act as:

• ·Highly luminescent fluorescent labels of cells
• ·Targetable very high MRI contrast agents
• ·Efficient and targeted cell killers

(above) TEM micrographs of MSNs showing particle diameter ranging from 60 to 80 nm and pore size of 3 nm.

Spectral confocal analysis of cancerous Hela cell showing an overlap of the stained green endosomes and the red fluorescent MSN particles (fMSNs), generating yellow and indicating co-localisation of fMSNs in endosomes after 5h.

Model for surface functionalisation and biomodification of nanoparticles with variable/highly tuneable cores

In collaborating work with a team in the Department of Engineering Science we are developing functionalised mesoporous nanoparticles in order to achieve selective delivery of hydrophobic antibacterials to bacterial cells with particles which are, otherwise, unvectored.

A variety of multimodal nanoparticle architextures encapsulating paramagnetic or NMR resonant atoms and organic fluorophores for fluorescence and targetted T1 / T2 MRI imaging are being developed (functional fluorine and Gd triggered imaging).   A specific focus is the generation of high relaxivity, kinetically sytable nanoparticle payloads that can be vectored to specific cell types.

(Above, lower right) - high T1 image contrast from stem cells loaded with Gd doped luminescent silicate nanoparticles

Much of this work is in collaboration with teams in Physiology (Oxford - Stem Cell Tracking) and Leeds (Mesenchymal Stem Cell imaging). 

The uptake mechanisms, passive/triggered toxicity and subcellular localisation of  these particles are also a particular focus.