ott.ua.edu

1. UAIPD 10-0028
Dr. Yuping Bao
Shape-controlled Magnetic Nanoparticles as T1
Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

2. Current Problems
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
– Powerful, non-invasive diagnostic tool for living
organisms
– Provides real-time images with great spatial resolution
• Problems
– Potential toxicity of current T1 contrast agent
– Lack of targeting imaging ability
– Relative short residence time
– Relies on omnipresent mechanisms

3. • Variety of nanoparticle (NP) shapes
– Tune the relaxivity of magnetic NP’s as T1 contrast agents for
MRI
• Modification of the contrast agent structure into whiskers,
plate or wire shapes
– Increases the effectiveness of the contrast agent
• Method for targeting image
– Target imaging can be realized and further enhancement of the
residence time
Technology
Figure 1. Shape-controlled iron oxide nanoparticles: (a) nanowhiskers, (b) uniform thin
nanowires along with irregular shaped particles, (c) porous nanorices, and (d) nanoplates

4. • Removes toxicity of widely used T1 contrast agent
• Produce brighter and clearer quality
• Provide targeting imaging ability
• Enhance contrast agent residence time
• Easy to produce
• Safer and more effective
• Increase retention
– Through nanowires
Advantages

5. • Dr. Yuping Bao
– Associate Professor
– 2 patent applications
• Departments
– Center for Materials for
Information Technologies
– Chemical and Biological
Engineering
Inventor
ybao@eng.ua.edu

6. Office for Technology Transfer
720 2nd Ct E
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
UAIPD 10-0028
OTT@UA.edu
www.OTT.UA.edu