Year 3

We have made good progress in the third year. This project involves four separate scientific teams, brought together for the first time for this project, representing diverse backgrounds ranging from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) physics and cell tracking (Dr. Rutt), microbiology (Dr. Matin), nano and magnetic characterization (Dr. Moler) and imaging reporter development and testing in small animal models of disease (Dr. Contag). Substantial progress has been made by all four teams, and we have benefited from important interactions between all teams in this third year.

An overall summary of progress is that we evaluated several iron-binding bacterial genes (magA, mamB, mms6, mms13), both singly and doubly, in two mammalian cell lines (MDA-MB-231BR and DAOY). In year 2, we diversified and intensified the efforts to achieve expression of one or more of the bacterial genes in different cell lines, using different genetic constructs. We completed an effort to achieve optical labeling such that we could visualize the gene expression and to identify sub-cellular localization of the report gene products. In year 3, while continuing to face challenges with single gene constructs, we succeeded in finding substantial iron uptake in cells containing unique double gene expression, notably magA and mms13.

We completed much of the development of our higher field, higher sensitivity MR imaging methods and evaluated the sensitivity gains enabled at the higher magnetic field strength of 7 Tesla (the highest magnetic field widely available for human MRI).

Finally, we demonstrated novel nanomagnetic methods to characterize our reporter cells, able to characterize magnetic properties down to the single cell level.