Establishment of new UK/Canada Collaboration towards the Advancement of Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI)

本次研究交流的目的是为磁颗粒成像（MPI）提供独特的知识交流和专业知识。MPI是一种新型的、新兴的成像方式，用于检测体内超顺磁性氧化铁纳米颗粒（SPION）示踪剂的纳摩尔浓度。利物浦大学（UoL）最近安装了磁性洞察公司（2023年8月）的动量MPI扫描仪，成功获得了EPSRC战略奖的资助；这是英国第一家，也是全球仅有的12家之一。这包括西安大略大学（UWO）的实验室，他们在2019年安装了等效的系统。UWO的实验室以体内细胞追踪研究的开创性研究而闻名于世，是再生医学研究中MPI的发展和实施的早期贡献者。MPI的基本方法是检测SPIONs在正弦驱动磁场作用下的非线性响应。该技术采用非均匀场分布来定义图像体素，称为无场点（FFP）。SPION示踪剂直接成像，这允许高灵敏度，没有背景信号的定量检测。因此，MPI是一种强大的创新技术，用于细胞跟踪研究，可以定量评估移植标记细胞疗法，提供其他成像方式无法提供的身体区域的实时生物分布和安全信息。重要的是，MPI的最佳SPION示踪剂仍然未知；迄今为止，开发用于MRI的昂贵商业材料是MPI在所有体外和体内研究中使用的主要示踪剂。此外，由于迄今为止全球对MPI设备的访问很少，因此没有定义的分析方案用于所有研究小组的测量。随着全球设备获取的增加和研究产出的加速，这将变得越来越重要。此次交流的目的是在UoL的材料科学和物理小组与UWO的生物应用研究之间发展研究协同作用：-优化SPION示踪剂开发-标准化数据分析和量化-跨学科知识交流UoL小组包括材料化学，专注于SPION合成专门为MPI设计。UWO小组则相反，由生物物理学家组成，他们使用商业材料进行MPI，主要用于细胞跟踪研究。通过两个研究小组之间的合作开发和示范，通用标准化数据分析和量化将允许MPI作为一种新兴技术通过共同的分析实践加速发展。同样，合作的SPION合成将开发出适合MPI和再生医学应用的最佳SPION。

The intention for this research exchange is to provide unique knowledge exchange and expertise around Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI). MPI is a new, emerging imaging modality which detects nanomolar concentrations of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticle (SPION) tracers in vivo. The University of Liverpool (UoL) recently installed the Momentum MPI Scanner from Magnetic Insight inc. (August 2023) following successful EPSRC Strategic Award funding; the first in the UK and one of only 12 worldwide. This includes the lab at the University of Western Ontario (UWO), who installed the equivalent system in 2019. The laboratory at UWO is world renowned for pioneering research in in vivo cell tracking studies and is an early contributor to the advancement and implementation of MPI for regenerative medicine investigation.The fundamental methodology of MPI is to detect the non-linear response of SPIONs under application of a sinusoidal drive magnetic field. The technique employs a non-uniform field distribution to define an image voxel, known as the Field-Free Point (FFP). SPION tracers are imaged directly, which allows for highly sensitive, quantitative detection with no background signal. Thus, MPI is a powerful, innovative technology for cell tracking studies enabling quantitative assessment of transplanted labelled cell therapies, providing real-time biodistribution and safety information in areas of the body where other imaging modalities fail.Importantly, the optimal SPION tracer for MPI is still unknown; to date, expensive commercial materials that were developed for use in MRI are the main tracers employed for MPI use across all in vitro and in vivo studies. Furthermore, as global access to MPI equipment to date has been rare, there is no defined analytical protocol for measurement employed across all research groups. This will become of increasing importance as global access to equipment grows and research output accelerates. The aim for this exchange is to develop research synergies between material science and physics groups at UoL with biological application research at UWO towards: - Optimal SPION tracer development - Standardised data analysis and quantification - Cross-disciplinary knowledge exchangeThe UoL group comprises materials chemistry focused on SPION synthesis specifically designed for MPI. The UWO group is the reverse and is composed of biophysicists using commercial materials for MPI predominantly for cell tracking studies. Universal standardised data analysis and quantification through co-operative development and demonstration between the two research groups will allow for MPI as an emerging technology to accelerate through common analytical practice. Likewise, co-operative SPION synthesis will develop optimal SPIONs specific for MPI in and regenerative medicine applications.