Like many diseases, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is driven by the activity of inflammatory cells. Using molecular imaging to target and analyze populations of inflammatory cells is one promising strategy to non-invasively assess atherosclerosis progression. However, current molecular imaging contrast agents are not suited for such targeted imaging applications. Nanomaterial-based strategies...
Nanoparticles are nanometer scale (1-1000 nm) structures capable of encapsulating a diverse range of cargoes. Encapsulation of a cargo can drastically alter its pharmacokinetics, cytotoxicity, and biodistribution while allowing for informed and rational design of the nanoparticle itself. Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene sulfide) (PEG-b-PPS) is an amphiphilic diblock co-polymer able to self-assemble...