Research results of the last 5 years

Research results of the last 5 years

Over the last 5 years, we have published 49 original research papers in peer-reviewed international high-standard journals.

Our main achievements are briefly summarized as follows:

1. The development of tools for monitoring the tumor microenvironment by MR techniques.

   • EPR oximetry:

     • Development of oxygen reporters that may monitor non invasively tissue oxygenation with a high sensitivity over long periods of time

     • Development of biocompatible forms for pioneering use in the clinic.

   • Spin trapping and spin labeling:

     • Development of new forms for a highly efficient trapping of nitric oxide.

   • EPR Imaging:

     • Development of a new imaging modality for the characterization of melanomas.

   • NMR:

     • Development and validation of techniques for tackling changes in tumor hemodynamics, especially spontaneous fluctuations of tumor blood flow.

2. Applications of MR (EPR and NMR) to characterize the tumor microenvironment.

   • Development of new strategies opening the tumor vasculature for an improvement of cytotoxic treatments

   • Development of new strategies that inhibit tumor cell respiration

   • Understanding the effect of anti-angiogenic agents on the tumor micro-environment

3. Identification and evaluation of early surrogate MR markers of tumor response to treatment.

   • Application of MR to evaluate the response to treatments directed to HIF-1 alpha

   • Development of fluorine MR imaging/spectroscopy as markers of response to chemotherapy