Collaborative Research: Magnetic Clustering using Novel Poly(amino acid) Corrals to Advance Magnetic Particle Imaging

磁颗粒成像是一种类似于磁共振成像的非侵入性医学成像技术，可用于检测人体的病变组织，如癌症。磁颗粒成像的成功发展需要有效、安全、通用的纳米颗粒示踪平台。在这个奖项中，新的示踪剂是通过使用由天然氨基酸产生的聚合物来控制小的超顺磁性氧化铁纳米颗粒组织成更大簇的方式而创建的。簇性质，如粒子间距和空间排列被用来操纵和最大化磁粒子成像的示踪剂响应。这个合作项目将由罗德岛大学、亨茨维尔的阿拉巴马大学和布朗大学的研究人员进行。这个跨学科和多机构的项目是吸引学生和扩大参与的一个很好的平台，这将通过与罗德岛州和阿拉巴马州的国家科学基金会路易斯斯托克斯少数民族参与联盟项目合作来实现。学生将接受技术、专业和科学沟通技巧方面的培训。磁颗粒成像是一种新兴的医学诊断技术，它利用超顺磁性氧化铁纳米颗粒的独特磁性和生物相容性作为“示踪剂”，用于生成组织的三维图像。促进研究转化为临床环境的两个关键挑战包括制备颗粒示踪剂，以最大限度地利用其超顺磁特性和目标特异性衍生化，以及利用生物相容的颗粒表面涂层和组装剂来避免不良后果。该奖项涉及一种新的示踪剂设计方法，该方法基于使用聚氨基酸围栏控制疏水颗粒的聚类。具体目标包括设计和合成具有不同疏水、亲水性和稳定块结构域的聚氨基酸；展示了可控制的纳米粒子组装作为聚氨基酸组成的函数；并使用定制的磁粒子谱仪评估团簇的磁性。磁颗粒成像示踪剂的设计方法具有潜在的变革性，有望帮助推进磁颗粒成像作为疾病诊断和治疗的工具。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Magnetic Particle Imaging is a non-invasive medical imaging technique similar to Magnetic Resonance Imaging that can be used to detect diseased tissues such as cancer in the human body. Successful development of Magnetic Particle Imaging requires effective, safe, and versatile nanoparticle tracer platforms. In this award, new tracers are being created by controlling the way small superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles organize into larger clusters using polymers that are created from natural amino acids. Cluster properties such as particle spacing and spatial arrangement are used to manipulate and maximize the tracer response for Magnetic Particle Imaging. This collaborative project will be conducted by investigators from the University of Rhode Island, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and Brown University. This interdisciplinary and multi-institutional project is an excellent platform for engaging students and broadening participation, which will be achieved by partnering with National Science Foundation Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation programs in Rhode Island and Alabama. Students will be trained in technical, professional, and science communication skills.Magnetic Particle Imaging is an emerging medical diagnostic technique that exploits the unique magnetic properties and biocompatible nature of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as ‘tracers’ for the generation of three-dimensional images of tissues. Two key challenges to facilitating research translation to clinical settings include preparing particle tracers for maximum exploitation of their superparamagnetic characteristics and their target-specific derivatization and utilizing biocompatible particle surface coatings and assembly agents to avoid adverse outcomes. This award involves a new approach to tracer design based on the controlled clustering of hydrophobic particles using poly(amino acid) corrals. Specific aims include designing and synthesizing poly(amino acids) with varying hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and stabilizing block domains; demonstrating controllable nanoparticle assembly as a function of poly(amino acid) composition; and evaluating the magnetic properties of the clusters using a custom magnetic particle spectrometer. The approach to Magnetic Particle Imaging tracer design is potentially transformative and expected to help advance Magnetic Particle Imaging as a tool for disease diagnosis and treatment.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.