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Molecular Imaging and Therapy

IMMO-TEP
Molecular Imaging and Therapy

The IMMO-TEP research group, coordinated by Carlos Platas Iglesias, David Esteban Gómez and Aurora Rodríguez Rodríguez, has a long history and extensive experience in the field of Coordination Chemistry oriented to the design of molecular systems with potential application in clinical diagnosis and therapy. His activity is focused on the synthesis of new chelating platforms highly selective against different metal ions, as well as on the study of the physicochemical properties of the complexes obtained from them by means of a wide range of experimental techniques of structural analysis and sophisticated computational methods.

Research line 1 - Development of new drugs for application in clinical diagnostic techniques.

The main objective of this line of research focuses on the design, synthesis and characterisation of contrast agents and probes based on coordination compounds for their application in different Molecular Imaging techniques commonly used in clinical diagnosis, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET) or Computerised Axial Tomography (CAT).

Research line 2 - Development of radiopharmaceuticals with potential application in nuclear medicine.

This line of research is oriented towards the development of new radiopharmaceuticals based on coordination compounds for use in clinical therapy for the treatment of different pathologies. The research focuses on the development, characterisation and study of the physicochemical properties of new bifunctional chelating platforms that are easily derivatizable and capable of selectively complexing different metal radioisotopes of interest.

Research Line 3 - Computational study of molecular properties and chemical reactivity by means of DFT/CASSCF calculations.

The use of computational resources has become an indispensable tool for structural analysis of molecular compounds and a better understanding of their physicochemical properties and reactivity. In this sense, the group has a wide experience in this field, using DFT or more sophisticated methods (CASSCF/NEVPT2), as a support in the structural characterisation and analysis of the most relevant properties of molecular, supramolecular or surface systems.

Patents:

  • "Tetrazaamacrocyclic ligands and corresponding Ni(II) complexes useful as contrast agents". (Patent No. ES 2759316 A1; Extension PCT/ES2019/070746)
  • "Chelates of Lead(II) and Bismuth(III) based on trans-di-N-Picolinate tetraazamacrocycloalkanes". (Patent No. US9884881 B2)
  • "Compound for the Selective Extraction of Strontium(II) and Lead(II)". (Patent No. ES 2354666 A1)
  • "Compound for the Selective Extraction of Lanthanide Ions)". (Patent No. ES 2340129 A1)
  • "Compounds for the Removal and Recovery of Lead in Wastewater and Drinking Water". (Patent No. ES 2233187 B1)

Contracts/Conventions with companies:

  • "Computational Study on Gadolinium-based Contrast Agents" (INV 03919). Guerbet Group (France)
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IMMO-TEP maintains stable and continuous collaborations over time with other research groups of recognised national and international prestige, such as those led by the researchers:

  • Peter Caravan. Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Boston, USA.
  • Mauro Botta. Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro". Alessandria, Italy.
  • Raphaël Tripier. University of Western Brittany, University of Brest. France.
  • Eva Tóth. Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire CNRS. Orléans, France.
  • Loïc J. Charbonnière. Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien. Strasbourg, France.
  • Caterina Ramogida. Simon Fraser University. Burnaby, Canada.
  • Gyula Tircsó. University of Debrecen. Debrecen, Hungary.
  • Ali Trabolsi, New York University in Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi. United Arab Emirates.
  • Ona Illa Soler. Autonomous University of Barcelona. Spain.
  • Nicolas Lepareur. Centre Eugène Marquis. Rennes, France.

Also collaborates with companies in the pharmaceutical sector: Guerbet Group (France), Bracco (Italy) and Justesa (Spain).

Group members

Other information of interest

News

03/03/2026

Veinte estudiantes vuelven a “incrustarse” en el CICA para vivir la investigación desde dentro
02/04/2025

La sexta edición de alumnos incrustados llega al CICA
Alumnos del Rafael Puga Ramón asisten a la presentación realizada por Jaime Rodríguez
12/11/2024

Incrúst@te: una nueva oleada de futuros científicos visitan el CICA
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Articles

Investigating Cu(II) Complexes for MRI: A Comprehensive Approach Using EPR, Relaxometry, and Computational Modeling

  • Authors: Maria Chiara Pagliero, Marco Ricci, Raúl Alvarado, Carlos Platas-Iglesias, Enrico Salvadori, Valeria Lagostina, Mario Chiesa, Mauro Botta and Fabio Carniato
  • Details: Inorganic Chemistry, 2026, 65
  • URL: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5c05926
  • Quartile: Q1
  • CiteScore: 8.5
  • Impact factor: 4.7
  • DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5c05926

Physico-Chemical Properties of bis-2-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)-thiazole-carboxamide (BHPTC) Chelators

  • Authors: Mohamad HmadehValérie MazanDavid Rodriguez-LucenaFrançoise HoegyCarlos Platas-IglesiasGaëtan L. A. Mislin*Mourad Elhabiri*
  • Details: Inorganic Chemistry, 2026, 65
  • URL: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5c05413
  • Quartile: Q1
  • CiteScore: 8.5
  • Impact factor: 4.7
  • DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5c05413

Stabilities of Ac3+ Complexes Relevant as Radiopharmaceuticals

  • Authors: Antía Freire-García, Raúl Alvarado, María Costa-DeDios, David Esteban-Gómez, Carlos Platas-Iglesias
  • Details: Inorganic Chemistry,2026, 65
  • URL: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5c05846
  • Quartile: Q1
  • CiteScore: 8.5
  • Impact factor: 4.7
  • DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5c05846
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