My research interests are in broad fields of organic and inorganic chemistry with an emphasis on chemical biology and molecular imaging. We propose to use a range of tools pertaining to the aforementioned fields to explore new frontiers in disease detection and to understand the fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying disease. Specifically, we are interested in designing and applying novel chemical probes and sensors for imaging disease markers both in vitro and in live biological samples. A few systems of interest include imaging metal ion trafficking and its implications in neurodegenerative diseases, apoptotic signals in cancer and peroxidase activity up-regulation in atherosclerosis. In developing the imaging probes we will design and synthesize small molecule organics, metal complexes, nano-conjugates and modified proteins each with a targeted application. These probes will be characterized and evaluated by a series of spectroscopic and imaging techniques such as NMR, EPR, GC, LC, ICP-MS, X-ray crystallography, optical and magnetic resonance imaging. For more details on specific projects see the group webpage.

Ankona Datta and Kenneth N. Raymond,

Gd-Hydroxypyridinone (HOPO)-Based High-Relaxivity Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Contrast Agents,

Accounts Chem. Res., 2009, 42 (7), 938-947.

Ankona Datta, Jacob M. Hooker, Mauro Botta, Matthew B. Francis, Silvio Aime, and Kenneth N. Raymond, High-Relaxivity Gadolinium Hydroxypyridonate-Viral Capsid Conjugates: Nano-sized MRI Contrast Agents,

J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2008, 130 (8), 2546-2552.

(This article was covered in Biophotonics International as ‘Magnetic Resonance Imaging Moves Ahead’, April 2008, 42-43)

Eric J. Werner, Ankona Datta, Christoph J. Jocher, and Kenneth N. Raymond,

High-Relaxivity MRI Contrast Agents: Where Coordination Chemistry Meets Medical Imaging,

Angew. Chem. Int. Edit., 2008, 47 (45), 8568-8580.

Jacob M. Hooker, Ankona Datta, Mauro Botta, Kenneth N. Raymond, and Matthew B. Francis,

MR Contrast Agents from Viral Capsid Shells: A Comparison of Exterior and Interior Cargo Strategies,

Nano Lett. 2007, 7 (8), 2207-2210.

Ankona Datta, Suzanne M. Quintavalla and John T. Groves,

Kinetic Selectivity in the N-Alkylation of 2-Pyridyl Porphyrins: A Facile Approach to the aabb Scaffold,

J. Org. Chem., 2007, 72 (5), 1818-1821