Imaging and sensing in living cells using dual modality fluorescent PET imaging agents

该项目将涉及设计新的基于Ru的探测器，用于使用荧光和正电子发射计算机断层扫描(PET)进行靶向医学成像。还将研究活细胞中一氧化碳的检测。正电子发射断层扫描(PET)是一项强大的技术，尤其用于肿瘤学，它可以对人体深处的组织进行三维成像(美国每年有200万次扫描)。然而，放射性同位素的产生(通常是短暂的)需要大量的基础设施。在同一试剂中加入荧光可以通过发射可见光进行成像，以指示试剂的位置。在探针中添加靶向单元确保了对肿瘤的高选择性，从而创建了用于癌症成像的靶向、双模式试剂。重要的是，这将允许在进行正电子发射计算机断层扫描(PET)之前对肿瘤部位进行可视化，一旦不再存在辐射，则在手术中(使用荧光)。这些药物的前体也将被用于检测内源性一氧化碳作为疾病的标志。

The project will involve the design of new ruthenium-based probes for targeted medical imaging using both fluorescence and PET modalities. The detection of CO in living cells will also be investigated. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a powerful technique, used particularly in oncology, which allows three-dimensional imaging of tissue deep in the body (2 million scans in the US each year). However, substantial infrastructure is required for (often short-lived) radioisotope generation. Incorporating fluorescence within the same agent allows imaging through the emission of visible light to indicate the location of the agent. Adding targeting units to the probe ensures high selectivity for tumours, thus creating a targeted, dual modality agent for the imaging of cancer. Importantly, this will allow visualisation of the tumour site before (PET) and, once radiation is no longer present, during surgery (using the fluorescence). Precursors to these agents will also be used to detect endogenous CO as a marker of disease.