# Functionalized perfluorocarbon nanoemulsions for enhanced cell labeling for fluorine-19 MRI detection

> **NIH NIH R41** · CELSENSE, INC. · 2020 · $224,828

## Abstract

This project aims to develop and commercialize a novel MRI probe technology for the cell therapy tools
market. This project will transfer technology invented in the academic lab of Dr. Ahrens at UCSD, to Celsense,
Inc., an established company that offers imaging agents for visualizing and quantifying the trafficking of cell
therapies and inflammation in the body using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A common need for
developers of cell therapies is a non-invasive means to visualize the biodistribution of cells following injection.
Imaging of cell trafficking can provide crucial feedback regarding the persistence, optimal routes of delivery
and therapeutic doses. This same information can also help to overcome regulatory barriers. Perfluorocarbon
(PFC) nanoemulsion imaging agents are designed to be taken up by cells in culture, and following transfer to
the subject, cells are detected in vivo using fluorine-19 (19F) MRI. The fluorine inside the cells yields cell-
specific images, with no background signal. Images are readily quantified to measure apparent cell numbers at
sites of accumulation. We and others have demonstrated that these methods can detect a wide range of cell
types including various immune and stem cells. Previously, a collaboration between Celsense and the Ahrens
lab has demonstrated the first clinical use of PFC 19F MRI technology to detect cellular immunotherapy in
cancer patients. Looking forward, improving the sensitivity of 19F cell detection will lower the barriers for using
this technology in a wider range of biomedical applications. Recent preclinical results from the Ahrens lab
demonstrate enhanced cell detection sensitivity (>8-fold) with 19F MRI via the invention of a new class of
reagents combining PFC nanoemulsions with a surfactant containing a cell penetrating peptide from the
transactivating transcription sequence (TAT) of the human immunodeficiency virus. The new “TAT-PFC”
imaging probe technology will fit perfectly into Celsense’s reagent product line, particularly for the detection of
lymphocytes and stem cells that are intrinsically challenging to label for imaging. The goal of this project is to
perform academic-industry technology transfer to convert TAT-PFC into a commercial product, initially for the
preclinical market. The Specific Aims of this project are: (1) Chemistry optimization and scale-up; (2) physical
analytical characterization and stability testing of prototype nanoemulsion agent; (3) in vitro biological testing of
cell uptake, cytotoxicity and cell phenotype in cells labeled with TAT-PFC; (4) generation of in vivo preclinical
MRI datasets for product validation. Overall, Celsense generates revenue by international sales of its
proprietary imaging agents for clinical and preclinical use, as well as specialized software, licensing fees, and
fee-for-service contracts. Our view is that the new TAT-PFC imaging probe technology will be well-received by
customers due to its enhanced sensitivity over...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10139260
- **Project number:** 1R41EB029905-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** CELSENSE, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Brooke Helfer
- **Activity code:** R41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $224,828
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-15 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10139260

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10139260, Functionalized perfluorocarbon nanoemulsions for enhanced cell labeling for fluorine-19 MRI detection (1R41EB029905-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10139260. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*