Research

Nanoconfinement: A new strategy for imaging hydrogen peroxide in vivo

Hydrogen peroxide plays a fundamental role in life, controlling important cellular signaling pathways, such as PDGF growth factor signaling, NF-B activation, and also the redox state of the cell. The overproduction of hydrogen peroxide is implicated in the etiology of numerous chronic diseases such as arthritis, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. However, despite its importance, very little in known about hydrogen peroxide in vivo, because at present it is impossible to image hydrogen peroxide in vivo, due to a lack of contrast agents. We are working on a new family of nanoparticles that can image hydrogen peroxide in vivo.