Visualizing Biochemical Activities in Living Cells With Signal enhanced NMR

Speaker: Mathilde Lerche, Albeda Research ApS, Copenhagen
Host: Prof. Birthe Brandt Kragelund, Section of Biomolecular Sciences

Abstract
During the last decade, the development of nuclear spin polarization enhanced (hyperpolarized) molecular probes has opened up new opportunities for studying the inner workings of living cells. The hyperpolarized probes are produced ex situ, introduced into biological systems and detected with high sensitivity and contrast against background signals using high resolution NMR spectroscopy. A variety of natural, derivatized and designed hyperpolarized probes has emerged for diverse biological studies including assays of intracellular reaction progression, pathway kinetics, probe uptake and export, pH, redox state, reactive oxygen species, ion concentrations, drug efficacy or oncogenic signaling. These probes are readily used directly under natural conditions in biofluids and are often directly developed and optimized for cellular assays. The talk will focus on strategies used for the selection, design and use of hyperpolarized NMR probes in biological assays, and describe current developments of the technology for cellular applications.