Novel polymer-lipid assemblies for stimulus-responsive imaging contrast agents | CU Experts

Stimulus-responsive macromolecular structures are of tremendous importance for the next generation of tools for in vivo imaging and site-directed therapy. In this talk, I will present our research group’s work regarding the creation of self-assembled amphiphilic structures that respond to the presence of biomarkers that present as hallmarks for disease such as deep venous thrombosis and cancer. In one instance, the mechanical properties of synthetic, lipid-shelled microbubbles could be manipulated to sense for the biomarker thrombin using DNA hybridization. These microbubbles were found to have “on-off” ratios of ~100 and could highlight regions of elevated thrombin in real time in a live rabbit model. In another research direction, low-contrast nanoemulsions were designed to vastly increase their detection capabilities in response to chemically-induced changes in their surface properties. Both examples showcase a method for obtaining site- or biomarker-specific contrast enhancement for deep tissue imaging using commercially available technologies and have excellent promise for advancement to clinical use.

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