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Thomas J. Meade, chemistry; biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology; neurobiology and physiology; and radiology, is project leader. Co-investigators involved in the project are Jinwoo Cheon, chemistry, Yonsei University, South Korea; Steven T. Rosen; Vinayak P. Dravid, materials science and engineering and director of the NU Atomic and Nanoscale Characterization Experimental (NUANCE) Center; and Alice M. Wyrwicz, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Research Institute.

The goal of this project is to develop new imaging probes that exploit the rapidly advancing field of nanotechnology.

The group focuses on developing contrast agents for early staging of cancer 10 to 100 times more sensitive than currently available while simultaneously reporting on the physiological properties of lesions and tumors.

The principle barriers to the development of new classes of contrast agents for noninvasive imaging of cancer can be summarized by three fundamental problems: (1) amplification of the signal; (2) in vivo delivery; and (3) development of biochemical reporters. Recent advances in nanotechnology have demonstrated that the solutions to these problems may be at hand.

By coupling the unique properties of nanomaterials that function as a platform-diagnostic with new types of biochemically activated probes, entirely new generations of contrast agents can be developed that are capable of detecting cancer at cellular level in whole organisms.