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

这项研究交流的目的是提供围绕磁粒子成像（MPI）的独特知识交流和专业知识。MPI是一种新兴的成像方式，可检测体内纳摩尔浓度的超顺磁性氧化铁纳米颗粒（SPION）示踪剂。利物浦大学（UoL）最近安装了来自Magnetic Insight Inc.的Momentum MPI扫描仪。（2023年8月）继成功的EPSRC战略奖资助;在英国的第一个和全球仅有的12个之一。这包括西安大略大学（UWO）的实验室，他们在2019年安装了等效系统。UWO的实验室以在体内细胞跟踪研究方面的开创性研究而闻名于世，并且是MPI在再生医学研究中的发展和实施的早期贡献者。MPI的基本方法是检测SPION在正弦驱动磁场下的非线性响应。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，这允许在没有背景信号的情况下进行高度灵敏的定量检测。因此，MPI是一种强大的细胞追踪研究创新技术，能够对移植标记细胞疗法进行定量评估，在其他成像方式无法实现的身体区域提供实时生物分布和安全性信息。迄今为止，在所有体外和体内研究中，用于MRI的昂贵的商业材料是用于MPI的主要示踪剂。此外，由于迄今为止全球范围内很少使用MPI设备，因此所有研究组都没有确定的测量分析方案。随着全球获得设备的机会增加和研究产出加速，这一点将变得越来越重要。这次交流的目的是在UOL的材料科学和物理组与UWO的生物应用研究之间发展研究协同作用：-最佳SPION示踪剂开发-标准化数据分析和量化-跨学科知识交流UOL组包括专门为MPI设计的SPION合成的材料化学。UWO组则相反，由生物药理学家组成，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演示，通用的标准化数据分析和量化将使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合成将开发特定于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.