Developing new MRI contrast agents without metals
Official title: Discrete Polymer-based, Metal-free MRI Contrast Agents
Funded at Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge · NIH-11080270 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on new types of MRI contrast agents made from special materials that are safer and more effective, which could help patients get clearer and more accurate MRI scans without using metals.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baton Rouge, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $364,360 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM151217-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11080270 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals requiring MRI scans, particularly those with conditions that necessitate enhanced imaging.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not require MRI imaging or have contraindications for MRI procedures may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on creating innovative MRI contrast agents made from water-soluble polymers that do not contain metals. By designing unique bottlebrush polymers with specific chemical properties, the team aims to improve the effectiveness and safety of MRI imaging. The approach involves careful engineering of the polymer structure to enhance biocompatibility and signal clarity during imaging procedures. Patients may benefit from more accurate and safer MRI scans as a result of this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to safer and more effective MRI imaging techniques for patients.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in developing metal-free contrast agents, indicating a potential for success in this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lawrence, Jimmy — Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge
- Study coordinator: Lawrence, Jimmy
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Bilateral auditory integration and its role in auditory disorders
A study to understand how both ears work together to localize and organize sounds, which could help people with central auditory processing issues.
-
Host glutamine metabolism in tuberculosis pathogenesis
A study tests a drug that blocks host glutamine use to help fight tuberculosis by improving immune cells’ ability to kill the bacteria.
-
Ras signaling and regulatory T cells to treat allergic airway inflammation
A small, patient-friendly study will explore how Ras signaling affects a type of immune cell that helps control allergic inflammation in the airways of people with allergic asthma.
-
Bacterial genome sequencing to boost AMR detection in veterinary-lab networks
A veterinary and public-health project to expand bacterial whole-genome sequencing so labs can quickly identify antibiotic resistance and control outbreaks.
-
Microbes and the body's hormonal signals in a tiny worm
This grant looks at how gut microbes affect hormonal signals that control metabolism, using a tiny worm to model how this could influence type 2 diabetes and related heart and kidney issues.
-
Leptin and fat cells: how obesity may worsen lung infections like COVID-19 and flu
A study explores how fat tissue and the leptin pathway might change the body's first lung defenses during respiratory infections in people who are obese or have diabetes.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.