HR: 14:25h
AN: GP43B-03 INVITED     [Abstracts]
TI: Applications of Magnetic Micro- and Nanoparticles in Biology and Medicine
AU: * Dobson, J
EM: bea22@keele.ac.uk
AF: Keele University, Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, Thornburrow Drive, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 7QB United Kingdom
AB: Magnetic nanoparticles were first proposed for biomedical applications in the 1970s - primarily as targeted drug delivery vehicles and MRI contrast agents. Since that time, such particles have found application in a variety of biomedical techniques. In addition to drug delivery, magnetic nanoparticles are now used routinely as MRI contrast agents as well as for magneto-immunoassay and cell sorting. More recently, magnetic micro- and nanoparticles have been used to investigate and manipulate cellular processes both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, biogenic magnetic nanoparticles are also produced in the human body. The iron storage protein, ferritin, consists of a superparamagnetic ferrihydrite core and biogenic magnetite (a ferrimagnet) has also been found in the brain and other organs. Though the role of ferritin and several other magnetic iron oxides in the body is well understood, the origin and role of biogenic magnetite is only now coming to light - and this may have profound implications for our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases. This talk will review applications related to magnetic particle-mediated activation of cellular processes for tissue engineering applications and novel methods of magnetofection which have the potential to provide enhanced transfection for non-viral therapeutic gene delivery. It will also briefly highlight new techniques recently developed for the mapping and characterization of magnetic iron compounds related to neurodegenerative diseases and how rock magnetic techniques have been adapted to study magnetic iron compounds in the brain and other organs.
DE: 0416 Biogeophysics
DE: 0419 Biomineralization
DE: 1505 Biogenic magnetic minerals
DE: 1540 Rock and mineral magnetism
SC: Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism [GP]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005