VIBRANT

Ultimately, VIBRANT will deliver beta-cell specific, functionally optimized nanoconstructs and defined know-how for in vivo applications in non-human primates and humans with regard to quantification of BCM, imaging of pancreatic beta-cell function and survival, and therapy in clinical trials. In summary, VIBRANT will be the consolidation of the developed nanoparticular agents, processes and associated methodology in view of comprehensive IP protection, and to prepare for its uptake after the project in concluding preclinical and clinical studies in follow-up cooperations with industrial partners from the pharmaceutical industry. Technical limitations of available imaging modalities such as positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and electron spin-resonance (ESR) pose particular challenges to imaging of beta-cells. These limitations of currently used techniques include limited resolution (PET, ESR), sensitivity (MRI) and lack of contrast. Therefore, imaging technologies previously used for detecting focused objects as small as tumours of a few millimetres have to be optimized for detection and eventual quantification of the non-transformed or even reduced beta-cell population more or less uniformly dispersed within the pancreas. This requires a contrast agent providing a stable and high signal intensity, a contrast agent that is highly specific to the cell type, but devoid of toxicity, and an imaging technology with the potential of paramount spatial resolution. For a more comprehensive knowledge about beta-cell functionality with regard to proliferation and apoptosis, in order to eventually stall beta-cell deterioration and induce increase of functional BCM, an agent will be desirable, which allows monitoring of functional aspects (viability status of the beta-cell) holds the potential for a novel beta-cell specific drug delivery system. In order to address these objectives, VIBRANT will aim for a novel MRI contrast agent with hitherto unprecedented MRI sensitivity and spatial resolution power.

Trefwoorden:Imaging, Nano technology, Contrast Agents, Beta Cell Imaging, MRI