Regensburg 2010 – scientific programme

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SYMM: Symposium Magnetism and Medicine

SYMM 1: Magnetism and Medicine

SYMM 1.2: Invited Talk

Wednesday, March 24, 2010, 10:00–10:30, H1

Biomedical nanomagnetics: A spin through new possibilities — •Kannan Krishnan — University of Washington, Seattle, USA

Two of the principal challenges in biomedicine are the detection of disease at the earliest possible time prior to its ability to cause damage (diagnostics and imaging) and delivering treatment at the right place, at the right time whilst minimizing unnecessary exposure (targeted therapy with a triggered release). In this context, we have been developing theranostic magnetic nanoprobes (TMN) with tailored properties for high moment or high frequency applications, optimized for localized heating, MRI contrast enhancement and triggered drug release, and individually conjugated for specific functionality. Advantages of these TMNs include (a) the flexibility and precision with which the physical properties of the nanoparticle core -- size, size distribution, MRI relaxivity, magnetic relaxation dynamics and pH-sensitivity -- can be tailored and optimized. (b) their functionality as ultrasmall and ultrasensitive MRI contrast agents with competitive performance suggesting lower dose and increased penetration. (c) the optimized properties of these TMNs to generate heat locally and the therapeutic potential that this feature implies.(d) their biocompatibility and very low cytotoxicity and (e) their potential for the development of a magnetic particle imaging microscope -- an inexpensive, quantitative nanoimaging platform for meaningful dosimetry. Details of our current work in these areas, including translational application, primarily focused on detection and treatment of cancer, will be discussed.