MRI-BASED TUMOR TARGETING ENHANCEMENT WITH MAGNETOTACTIC BACTERIAL CARRIERS

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The delivery of a therapeutic agent through controlled carriers directly to the tumoral lesion can enhance treatment efficacy by reducing dosage while minimizing systemic circulation of toxic compounds through healthy tissues. As such, the induction of a feedback controlled steering force on ferromagnetic carriers from magnetic gradients generated by an upgraded clinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system has been demonstrated by our group. But the gradient strengths required in some sections of the capillary network surrounding a tumor may be technologically very difficult to achieve for human due mainly to the size and cooling issues of additional gradient coils embedded in the MRI bore. As such, the use of MC-1 Magnetotactic Bacteria (MTB) pushing microbeads with therapeutic agent and nanoparticles to allow real-time tracking with the MRI system of the bacteria may provide complementary means of propulsion in smaller capillaries. More specifically, the aim of this project is to exploit the property of the chain of magnetic single domain nanoparticles (50-100 nm in size) called magnetosomes embedded in each MTB and acting as a navigational compass inside each bacterium combined with the very effective trust provided by the molecular motor of the bacteria to enhance targeting. Navigation control of such bacterial carriers will be performed by changing the direction of the magnetic field under computer control to "migrate" such bacteria towards the tumoral region.