Gabriela Popa

Dendronized Iron Oxides as Smart Nano-objects for Multimodal Imaging

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) with appropriate surface coating are widely used for numerous in vivo applications and in particular for MRI contrast enhancement. To improve the contrast enhancement and targeting properties as well as the biodistribution of functionalized iron oxide NPs, challenges have to be overcome such as: (i) the design of an organic coating favouring ideal biodistribution, ensuring multifunctionalization (targeting, optical imaging…) and preserving a small size distribution of coated NPs in physiological media (<50 nm), (ii) the synthesis of iron oxide NPs with good magnetic properties and (iii) the development of strong anchors at the NPs surface avoiding desorption of molecules in blood. Indeed, the coating design as well as the interaction nature between the organic shell and the nanocrystal surface are more and more key points to address.