Tailored coordination compounds as multimodal labels for multiscale imaging of mesenteric pathogen transport

Principal investigator: Stefanie Bobe, Cristian A. Strassert
Project number: CRC 1450 A02
Project term: 01/2021–12/2028

The project focuses on developing chemical compounds to enable multiscale imaging of biological processes. By integrating techniques that span macroscopic to microscopic scales—such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), lightsheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM), phosphorescence lifetime imaging (PLIM), and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM)—the research aims to investigate vascular function and morphology under both healthy and pathological conditions.
© Esther Redder, Stefanie Bobe, Cristian Strassert

We will elucidate the role of capillary mesenteric lymph vessels in peritoneal lymph drainage and inflammatory disease progression. Hence, the coordination-chemical concepts established in the first funding period will be implemented towards small molecules as functional labels. Their biodistribution profiles will be tuned by the amphiphilicity or by specific targeting units; since the chelator can remain invariant, no modification of the localization is expected upon exchange of the central cation. Thus, multiple orthogonal readouts arising from a single label will be used to visualize the early pathogen transport of Y. pseudotuberculosis in mice bridging the gap between different scales and modalities.

Team

Principal investigator

Project members

Barbakadze, Salome
European Institute for Molecular Imaging

Pauls, Benjamin
Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry

Publications

The names of the principal investigators in our network have been bolded. Publications released prior to 2021, when funding for our network commenced, represent previous project-related work.