Switchable Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (A06)

• Subject Area: Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation ; Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Liquids and Interfaces, Biophysical Chemistry
• Term: from 2011 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 13266514

For the application of the previously developed light-induced magnetically switchable nickel porphyrin complexes as contrast agents in vivo, a few improvements have yet to be achieved. 1. Switching in aqueous media, 2. higher efficiency as a contrast agent (relaxivity) by incorporation of different transition metal ions (e.g. Fe3+), 3. switching at higher wavelengths. Further work focusses on contrast agents with non-porphyrin based ligands and "smart" contrast agents that respond to pH, temperature, and other metabolic parameters. Additionally, MR-sequences have to be adjusted and developed to enable the measurement of relaxation times and the determination of the kinetics of the switching process with high spatial and temporal resolution in vitro as well as in animal studies.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 677: Function by Switching
• Applicant Institution: Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel
• Project Heads: Professorin Dr. Susann Boretius, until 6/2015; Professor Dr. Rainer Herges; Professor Dr. Felix Tuczek