SBIR Phase II: Novel Nanosized Magnets for Highly Sensitive Multiplexing Bio-Molecular Detection

这一小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目计划基于一系列新型纳米铁磁体，开发和验证用于磁共振成像(MRI)诊断的体内高灵敏对比剂。之前的第一阶段工作使用组合化学来合成磁性纳米颗粒，其磁共振信号和灵敏度比目前可用的顺磁性造影剂显著增强。第二阶段研究的具体目标是利用组合化学进一步优化纳米磁核，使其表面功能化，用于细胞的体外成像，验证新开发的造影剂在动物磁共振对比研究中的应用，并评估其毒性效应。该项目的商业应用将在全身成像技术领域。拟议的技术将使以显著更高的吞吐量和灵敏度以及更低的成本拍摄优质的医学图像。此外，它可能允许使用磁共振的新的医学诊断-成像应用(例如，在心血管疾病的早期检测和预防中)。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project proposes to develop and validate highly sensitive contrasting agents in-vivo, for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnosis, based on a series of novel nano-sized ferromagnets. Prior Phase I work used combinatorial chemistry to synthesize magnetic nanoparticles with significantly enhanced magnetic resonance signal and sensitivity than currently available paramagnetic contrasting agents. The specific objectives of Phase II research are to further optimize the nano-magnet cores with combinatorial chemistry , to functionalize their surfaces for in-vitro imaging of cells, to validate the newly developed contrasting agents in comparative animal MRI studies against products in use, and to evaluate their toxicity effects.The commercial application of this project will be in the area of whole-body imaging techniques. The proposed technology will enable superior medical images to be taken at significantly higher throughput and sensitivity, and at a lower cost. Further, it may allow for new medical diagnosis-imaging applications using magnetic resonance (for example, in the early detection and prevention of cardiovascular disease).