LOMIN: Moving theranostics from bench to bedside

The Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Nanomedicine (LOMIN) was initiated in 2009 at the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and has been led by Xiaoyuan (Shawn) Chen. Currently, LOMIN has grown to over 25 members who work together in diverse fields to develop theranostic molecular imaging tools and drug delivery systems. LOMIN is an interdisciplinary group divided into different sections based on expertise, but not divided by research projects. The three interdisciplinary and versatile groups, the PET/Optical Imaging Probe Section, the Biological Molecular Imaging Section and the Theranostic Nanomedicine Section, consist of chemists, engineers, biologists, and clinicians working together to transfer biomedical technology from the bench to the bedside. LOMIN works cohesively on its main mission to improve molecular imaging strategies for better understanding of biology, early diagnosis of disease, monitoring therapies and guiding drug discovery and development. In addition, special emphasis is placed on developing high sensitivity nanosensors for biomarker detection and theranostic nanomedicine for imaging, gene and drug delivery and therapy monitoring. LOMIN has developed novel imaging agents for targeting of various biological processes and monitoring therapies that have been slated for clinical trials. The future of LOMIN is to expand collaborations in order to apply lead imaging and therapeutic agents to the clinic. In this presentation, LOMIN will be introduced with our representative up-to-date research projects.