Near infrared conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPN™) for tracking cells using fluorescence and optoacoustic imaging.

Tracking the biodistribution of cell therapies is crucial for understanding their safety and efficacy. Optical imaging techniques are particularly useful for tracking cells due to their clinical translatability and potential for intra-operative use to validate cell delivery. However, there is a lack of appropriate optical probes for cell tracking.

Multispectral optoacoustic tomography is more sensitive than micro-computed tomography for tracking gold nanorod labelled mesenchymal stromal cells.

Tracking the fate of therapeutic cell types is important for assessing their safety and efficacy. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is an effective cell tracking technique, but poor spatial resolution means it has limited ability to precisely map cells in vivo in 3D. This can be overcome by using a bimodal imaging approach that combines BLI with a technique capable of generating high-resolution images.

UK-based multicentre cross-sectional study assessing advice requests veterinary dermatologists received from general practitioners.

Background: There is little currently little information available regarding the nature of the advice requests veterinary dermatologists receive from general practitioners. Collation of such data could direct continuing veterinary development in the future.

Methods: Dermatologists completed hand-written recording sheets during or after enquiries.

Mesenchymal stromal cells: what have we learned so far about their therapeutic potential and mechanisms of action?

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been found to be safe and effective in a wide range of animal models of human disease. MSCs have been tested in thousands of clinical trials, but results show that while these cells appear to be safe, they tend to lack efficacy. This has raised questions about whether animal models are useful for predicting efficacy in patients.