M. Andrea Markus

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To this end, we use for instance tumour organoid immune cell co-cultures obtained from patients and in vivo tumour models in conjunction with a range of imaging techniques, including optical in vivo imaging, high-resolution microscopy and in vivo computed tomography, as well as optoacoustic imaging. The preclinical evaluation of novel drugs encapsulated in nanoparticles for therapeutic treatments and diagnostic procedures in oncology and inflammation is an important prerequisite for translation into clinical application, which is achieved in collaboration with private companies and the University Medical Centre Göttingen. 

We do this by using a number of imaging techniques, including optical in vivo imaging, high resolution in vivo computer tomography, optoacoustic imaging as well as high-resolution microscopy. The optimization of nanoparticles for multimodal imaging and translation into the clinic is a major goal which is achieved in collaborations with private companies and chemists e.g. from the Karlsruher Institute of Technology (Claus Feldmann, KIT). A recent collaboration with the Heart and Brain Centre of the University Medical Centre Göttingen (Elisabeth Zeisberg) examines the transport and accumulation of novel mRNA-based nanocarriers.

Another focus of our research is on the structural heterogeneity of tumours, their interactions with the tumour microenvironment, and cell migration and metastasis. A particular focus is the label-free characterisation of SHG/THG structures such as collagen and lipid droplets using ex vivo and in vivo deep tissue imaging, including intravital methods, employing high-resolution multiphoton and light sheet microscopy.

Imaging techniques are also being explored for the detection, monitoring and characterisation of fibrosis. For example, cardiac fibrosis and cardiac changes following SARS-CoV-2 infection are being investigated in collaboration with the Department of Radiology at the University of Göttingen, the German Primate Centre and the Biomedical Primate Research Centre Leiden using multiphoton microscopy and high-resolution X-ray techniques. Pulmonary fibrosis was investigated using an X-ray-based lung function technique (XLF). We are supporting the development of new contrast agents for metabolic in vivo magnetic resonance imaging of pancreatic tumours at Göttingen University Medical Centre with in vivo tumour models.

Through close collaboration with technology companies in several EU-funded projects, we have access to the latest, state-of-the-art imaging systems, which we evaluate and test specifically for the further development of biomedical applications.

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Projects

• Nanoparticle-encapsulated therapeutics for the treatment of breast and pancreatic cancer – collaborations

  • Prof. Dagmar Wirth, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research GmbH, Braunschweig
  • Dr. Fernanda Ramos Gomes, Sartorius, Göttingen
  • Prof. Annarosa Arcangeli, University of Florence

• Identification of new imaging biomarkers from 3D pathology samples – collaborations

  • Miltenyi Biotec, Bergisch-Gladbach
  • Light Conversion, Vilnius

• Evaluation of novel in vivo time-domain NIR fluorescence imaging devices and probes – collaborations

  • Vrije Universiteit Brussel
  • Prof. Undine Lippert, University Medical Centre Göttingen

• Evaluation of the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in non-human primates – collaboration

  • Biomedical Primate Research Centre Leiden

• Metabolic in vivo magnetic resonance imaging of metabolic changes in pancreatic tumours

  • Prof. Stefan Glöggler, UT Southwestern, Dallas, Texas

• X-ray-based analysis of pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis

  • Prof. Dr. Christian Dullin, UMG 

• Interaction of nanoparticles with tumour and immune cells in diseased lungs and in pancreatic cancer

  • Prof. Claus Feldmann, KIT, Karlsruhe; Prof. Philip Beckhove, LIT, Regensburg