Scientific Interest(s):
Dr. Jorge Barrio's research on the development of biological probes focuses on the design, synthesis and validation of positron-emitting and fluorescent labeled probes for enzyme localization and function, presynaptic neurotransmission, postsynaptic receptor interactions, b-amyloid deposition and gene expression.
His investigations have three general aims: 1) to develop biological probes (e.g., radiolabeled fluorinated amino acids, presynaptic dopamine transporter ligand probes) to establish the structural requirements for probing central dopaminergic mechanisms with positron emission tomography (PET); 2) to design PET reporter probes in the development of in vivo non-invasive procedures to quantitate gene expression in animals and humans. Investigate probes for glucose transporters (GLUT-1), dopamine-D2 receptors, aromatic amino acid decarboxylase and thymidine kinase; and 3) to develop specific in vivo probes for b-amyloid plaques for early, non-invasive detection of Alzheimer's disease.
Selected Cancer-Related Publications:
Kepe V, Barrio JR, Huang SC, Ercoli L, Siddarth P, Shoghi-Jadid K, Cole GM, Satyamurthy N, Cummings JL, Small GW, Phelps ME. Serotonin 1A receptors in the living brain of Alzheimer's disease patients. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006; 103(3): 702-7.
Penuelas I, Mazzolini G, Boan JF, Sangro B, Marti-Climent J, Ruiz M, Ruiz J, Satyamurthy N, Qian C, Barrio JR, Phelps ME, Richter JA, Gambhir SS, Prieto J. Positron emission tomography imaging of adenoviral-mediated transgene expression in liver cancer patients. Gastroenterology. 2005; 128(7): 1787-95.
Yaghoubi SS, Barrio JR, Namavari M, Satyamurthy N, Phelps ME, Herschman HR, Gambhir SS. Imaging progress of herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase suicide gene therapy in living subjects with positron emission tomography. Cancer Gene Ther. 2005; 12(3): 329-39.
Barrio JR, Marcus CS, Hung JC, Keppler JS. A rational regulatory approach for positron emission tomography imaging probes: from"first in man" to NDA approval and reimbursement. Mol Imaging Biol. 2004; 6(6): 361-7.
Maclean D, Zhu J, Chen M, Hale R, Satymurthy N, Barrio JR. Safety-catch linker strategies for the production of radiopharmaceuticals labeled with positron-emitting isotopes. J Am Chem Soc. 2003; 125(34): 10168-9.