Laboratory of Experimental MRI

Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague

EV projects leader: Andrea Gálisová
website: https://mrs.ikem.cz/en/skupiny/experimentalni
email: gala@ikem.cz

Genetically engineered extracellular vesicles as targeted imaging and therapeutical probes

Cancer therapy often lacks specificity towards cancerous tissues and thus causes detrimental side effects on healthy organs. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) engineered to be targeted towards tumors can be used as biocompatible delivery vehicles, potentially reducing these side effects. For this purpose, we implement protein engineering techniques in combination with cutting-edge imaging technology to create efficient EV-based platforms for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Our group is focused on targeted delivery of drugs and imaging probes to tissues, e.g. tumors. We are developing techniques for specific visualization of EVs by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This non-invasive and three-dimensional imaging method allows visualization of magnetically-labeled probes, e.g. EVs, in tissues. In our EV project, we encapsulate special contrast agents based on heteronuclear nuclei (1H/19F/31P) in EVs and then monitor the in vivo distribution of EVs with high specificity. This allows us to verify that EVs are specifically targeted to the tissue of interest (e.g. tumors, brain). In the future, we plan to load both drugs and MRI probes into our targeted EVs, enabling monitorable therapy.