GENINATTI LAB
Diagnostic protocols for imaging guided drug delivery and pathology assessment

Apoferritin, a 24 subunits nanocage of H- and/or L-chain peptides forming a cage of 12 nm in external diameter with an interior cavity of 8 nm is an ideal drug- and imaging agent delivery platform due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, coupled with its low toxicity.

A theranostic approach for the treatment of primary tumours and metastasis based on the use of Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) that combines low energy neutron irradiation with the presence of boron-containing compound at the targeted cells. The novel theranostic agents are able to maximize the selective uptake of boron atoms in tumour cells and, at the same time, to quantify boron distribution in the tumour and in other tissues by MRI.

Development of an innovative diagnostic strategy, based on the measurements of T1 at low and ultra-low magnetic fields with Fast Field Cycling (FFC-NMR) to obtain quantitative information on tumour aggressiveness and metastastatic potential, due to different water content and mobility. Differences in T1 are much greater at low field and the shape of the relaxation dispersion profiles may be used as a reporter of the molecular dynamical processes.

Actively and passively targeted nanoparticles (liposomes, PLGA etc) are proposed for the delivery of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents for the detection of malignancies and for monitoring the effects of therapeuticagents.

The development of a diagnostic quantitative tool for the detection of ssDNA in body fluids might be highly helpful for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cancer and inflammatory pathologies. The new assay proposed in this assay is based on the use of dye-encapsulating liposomes.