News 2014

New publication in Chemistry - A Europeal Journal

Thursday, June 12th, 2014 5:00 PM
We have developed a set of dual-frequency calcium-responsive MRI agents. These are paramagnetic, fluorine-containing complexes that produce remarkably high MRI signal changes at the proton and fluorine frequencies at varying Ca(II) concentrations. We revealed the nature of the processes triggered by Ca(II), which allows us a better understanding of these complex systems and their further improvement. The findings indicate that these double-frequency tracers hold great promise for development of novel functional MRI methods.

Link to the article: P. Kadjane, C. Platas-Iglesias, P. Boehm-Sturm, V. Truffault, G. E. Hagberg, M. Hoehn, N. K. Logothetis, G. Angelovski. “Dual-frequency Calcium-Responsive MRI Agents.” Chem. Eur. J. 2014, 20, 7351-7362.

New publication in ACS Chemical Neuroscience

Thursday, May 22nd, 2014 5:00 PM
We have studied our calcium-sensitive contrast agent in cellular model systems and investigated its feasibility for use as a smart molecular probe in new type of fMRI. The smart contrast agent exhibits relaxometric response in a complex 3D cell culture model. The presence of the agent does not affect the transport of calcium through the plasma membrane in conventional 2D cultures of astrocytes, while the ATP induced calcium-transients suggested normal cellular signaling. Finally, the estimates for an idealized in vivo fMRI experiment suggest up to 6% change in T1 during the intense neuronal activity. These results are extremely encouraging and may lead to the development of new fMRI methodology superior to BOLD that would be a great asset to neuroimaging and molecular imaging techniques.

Link to the article:  G. Angelovski, S. Gottschalk, M. Milošević, J. Engelmann, G. E. Hagberg, P. Kadjane, P. Andjus, N. K. Logothetis. „Investigation of a Calcium-responsive Contrast Agent in Cellular Model Systems: Feasibility for use as a Smart Molecular Probe in Functional MRI.” ACS Chem. Neurosci. 2014, 5, 360-369.

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