Abstract

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is one of the most widely used imaging tools in medicine for understanding, treating and preventing diseases. The limitations of MRI include low sensitivity and resolution. The sensitivity of existing contrast agents based on Gd and iron oxide nanoparticles remains insufficient. Innovations are needed to develop new, potent contrast agents to enhance the sensitivity and thus capability of MRI in medical research and clinic. Crystalline iron-cobalt (FeCo) alloy exhibits the highest saturation magnetization among all materials, but has not been used for biological and medical applications thus far due to various materials limitations. This application will develop FeCo nanocrystals encapsulated by a single- layer of carbon grapheme into a new, advanced material for MRI. The single-shell grapheme coating protects the FeCo core from degradation and imparts high biocompatibility. The highly magnetic FeCo core affords superior magnetic relativities to conventional agents for MRI. Overall, this application aims to fully develop grapheme-FeCo nanocrystals into a new MRI contrast agent with unprecedented sensitivity, long blood circulation and specific targeting ability. MRI with high spatial resolution down to ~25

Public Health Relevance

This project will apply the principles of nanotechnology to develop a new type of magnetic nanocrystals for both high resolution MRI for cancer imaging and MRI monitored delivery of anti- cancer drugs to tumors. These technological advances will provide doctors with both a greater understanding of cancer and more powerful tools for its treatment.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21)
Project #
5R21CA133492-02
Application #
7572823
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-NANO-M (01))
Program Officer
Zhang, Huiming
Project Start
2008-03-01
Project End
2011-02-28
Budget Start
2009-03-01
Budget End
2011-02-28
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$170,478
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Stanford University
Department
Chemistry
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
009214214
City
Stanford
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94305

  Publications

Sherlock, Sarah P; Tabakman, Scott M; Xie, Liming et al. (2011) Photothermally enhanced drug delivery by ultrasmall multifunctional FeCo/graphitic shell nanocrystals. ACS Nano 5:1505-12
Sun, Xiaoming; Tabakman, Scott M; Seo, Won-Seok et al. (2009) Separation of nanoparticles in a density gradient: FeCo@C and gold nanocrystals. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 48:939-42
Lee, Jin Hyung; Sherlock, Sarah P; Terashima, Masahiro et al. (2009) High-contrast in vivo visualization of microvessels using novel FeCo/GC magnetic nanocrystals. Magn Reson Med 62:1497-509