Dr. Jinming Gao is a Professor of Oncology and Pharmacology in the Department of Pharmacology, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He also holds a joint appointment in the Department of Chemistry and Department of Bioengineering at UT Dallas. More »

Our main research focus is to design, develop and evaluate novel nanomaterials and nanoarchitectures for cancer molecular imaging and targeted therapeutic applications. Two design principles are emphasized throughout research: (1) understand tumor pathophysiology and identify key cancer targets to improve biological specificity, and (2) build innovative nanomedicine platforms with non-linear bioresponsive properties to achieve diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy.

Each project involves multifaceted scientific inquiries in nanomaterial synthesis and supramolecular self-assembly, fluorescent and MR molecular imaging, cancer biology and others. Design of new nanomaterials with unique physical properties arising from nanoscale (but absent in the molecular or bulk states) and can interact with biological systems in non-linear dynamics are particularly seeked to amplify biological signals to improve imaging and therapeutic outcomes. More »

Our lab members are from diverse scientific disciplines in polymer science, physico-organic chemistry, bioengineering, molecular and cell biology, diagnostic imaging, and others. Each lab member develops a focal area of expertise and our successes capitalize on synergistic collaborations among team members. The broad spectrum of scientific expertise and collaborative spirits enable the rapid development of new ideas and devices from bench to bed, and lab to the clinics. Meet the Team »

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August 2013, a chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI method and pH-activatable nanoparticles were used to image the environmental pH. The CEST signal was ''off'' when the polymers form micelles near physiological pH (i.e. 7.4) but was activated to the ''on'' state when the micelles dissociate in an acidic environment. (Chem.Comm.). PDF

June 2013, a multi-chromatic pH-sensitive nanobarcodes were developed for MR imaging/spectroscopy of environmental pH. Each pH transition was encoded by a specific 19F reporter with distinguished chemical shift. A collection of such nanobarcodes can potentially be used to probe tissue pH in tumors or other acidosis tissues. (Angew Chem). PDF

April 2012, a multi-colored, pH-tunable nanoparticle platform is developed with independent control of emission wavelength and pH transition. These nanoparticles will be useful for probing many cell physiological processes in the endocytic pathway (J Am Chem Soc). PDF