Polimeri biodegradabili ad architetttura macromolecolare controllata come nuovi agenti polifunzionali per imaging 19 F

Main objective of the project is the synthesis of hydrophilic polymers with controlled macromolecular architecture bearing properly selected groups suitable for ¹⁹F MR imaging. Ultimate goal will be the development of a dual fluorescent-MRI cellular labeling material, that would be highly desirable for recovery and further study of cells post-imaging. So far multifunctional nanomedicine platforms containing a ¹⁹F MRI agent are completely unknown; therefore the present project would represent the first explorative step towards the realization of new polifunctional nanomedicine devices. According to the proposed aims of the project, research has focused both on the synthesis and on the chemical characterization of the structures bearing the functional residues; the investigation of their biocompatibility and toxicity has been also preliminarily studied in combination with In vitro/in vivo imaging experiments; since the first months of activity the research project showed its highly multi-disciplinar nature and it required a continuous exchange of information among synthetic organic chemists, polymer experts, NMR expert and biologists to address the aspects of fine and macromolecular chemistry, biological and medical research. Many different chemical characterisation techniques have been already used for the analysis of the new products (for example ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, ¹⁹F-NMR, SEC, MALDI-TOF) before studying the biological and medical properties