Ass. Prof. Univ. Doz. Dr. Martin Funovics

work address:

Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology

Medical University of Vienna

A-1090 Vienna, Austria

Phone: +43 1 40400 57970

e-mail:

martin.funovics@meduniwien.ac.at

homepage:

www.meduniwien.ac.at

know-how and research interests:

Dr Funovics has successfully developed a receptor-specific contrast agent based on magnetic nano-particles for immunospecific MRT. During an 18-month research period at the Centre for Molecular Imaging Research at the Harvard Medical School in Boston, Dr. Funovics learned about the synthesis of several receptor-specific contrast agents for multimodal molecular imaging as well as the development and application of optical contrast agents, for which he was able to put his existing experiences in interventional radiology to good use. In addition to various publications, this research period also resulted in the awarding of a patent to Dr. Funovics for an innovative catheter-based imaging system in the near infrared region. Back in Vienna, Dr. Funovics passed on and applied the knowledge acquired in the USA in parallel with his fully clinical obligations following habilitation, and built up a basic research laboratory in the Department of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology together with a number of research groups. After several years of research work, he has now succeeded in synthesising a nano-particle that can be imaged using several radiologic modalities; this nano-particle serves as the starting point for a large number of interdisciplinary research activities in collaboration with the Department of Nuclear Medicine and the Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CCC) at the Medical University of Vienna.

research topic:

Synthesis and characterization of magnetic nanoparticle

techniques and infrastructure of the research group:

Chemical Laboratory, Laser light scattering, MR relxation measirements

5 selected publications:

Nucleophilic cross-linked, dextran coated iron oxide nanoparticles as basis for molecular imaging: synthesis, characterization, visualization and comparison with previous product. Robert Borny, Thomas Lechleitner, Thomas Schmiedinger, Martin Hermann, Richard Tessadri, Günther Redhammer, Josef Neumüller, Dontscho Kerjaschki, Gundula Berzaczy, Gürkan Erman, Martin Popovic, Johannes Lammer, Martin Funovics*. Contrast Media and Molecular Imaging 2014, accepted Jan8th, 2014, in press.

Simultaneous fluorescence imaging of protease expression and vascularity during murine colonoscopy for colonic lesion characterization. Funovics MA, Alencar H, Montet X, Weissleder R, Mahmood U. Gastrointest Endosc. 2006 Oct;64(4):589-97

Nanoparticles for the Optical Imaging of Tumor E-Selectin. M. Funovics, X. Montet, F. Reynolds, R. Weissleder, L. Josephson. Neoplasia. 2005 Oct;7(10):904-11

Catheter-based imaging of enzyme activity and gene expression: feasibility study in mice. M.A. Funovics, R. Weissleder, U. Mahmood. Radiology. 2004 Jun;231(3):659-66.

MR Imaging of the Her2/neu and 9.2.27 Tumor Antigens Using Immunospecific Contrast Agents. M.A. Funovics, B. Kapeller, C. Hoeller, H.S. Su, R. Kunstfeld, S. Puig, K. Macfelda. Magn Reson Imaging. 2004 Jul;22(6):843-50.