CA23132 - Magnetic Particle Imaging for next-generation theranostics and medical research (NexMPI)

Non-invasive assessment of the inner-body is one of the major medical advances in the 20th century. Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is a young biomedical imaging modality offering opportunities for clinical diagnosis, therapy, monitoring and prediction of treatment outcomes, which are unattainable with other imaging modalities. MPI employs non-toxic magnetic nanoparticles and involves non-ionising radiation. The technique offers detailed, real-time, quantitative imaging of the location and concentration of the nanoparticles, their flow state, binding state, local viscosity and temperature. Moreover, using bespoke nanoparticles with distinct properties enables the extraction of supralinear information, facilitating truly theranostic approaches.

Preclinical MPI has already been implemented in oncology, stem cell research, vascular imaging, neuroimaging, imaging of lung perfusion, in vivo tracking and quantification of inhaled aerosols, imaging of the heart, on-the-spot biopsies etc. With the current developments, MPI has the potential to give a new impetus to nanomedicine, whose successes have yet to match early expectations.

The Action NexMPI is the first European network of MPI scientists, including physicists, chemists, biologists, engineers, clinicians and others, employed at hospitals, academic institutions, and small and medium enterprises. The network will enhance access to the limited number of MPI systems available in Europe; foster close collaboration among the small but rapidly growing MPI community; put Europe at the forefront of MPI research and development; help define a roadmap for the translation of pre-clinical research to the clinic; and raise public awareness of MPI enabled opportunities, including its application in the field of nanomedicine.