# Discrete Polymer-based, Metal-free MRI Contrast Agents

> **NIH NIH R35** · LOUISIANA STATE UNIV A&M COL BATON ROUGE · 2024 · $364,360

## Abstract

Project Summary
Structural dispersity in synthetic polymers is paramount for their clinical use and regulatory approval. In this
project, we propose the development of water-soluble discrete bottlebrush polymers bearing alternating
phospholipid and fluorinated comonomers to enable their clinical applications as metal-free19F MRI contrast
agents. The novelty of the proposed polymer system is that it combines: 1. discrete molecular weight (as
opposed to conventional disperse polymers); 2. multifunctionality of branched architectures; 3. high water
solubility and biocompatibility of phosphorylcholine groups; and 4. exogenous and chemically identical signal
of19F groups. Rational design of the brush polymer architecture, comonomer sequence, and
lipophilic-hydrophilic balance is anticipated to suppress signal broadening and yield discrete synthetic
polymer-based platforms that can be further extended to other targeted imaging and sensing strategies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10888253
- **Project number:** 5R35GM151217-02
- **Recipient organization:** LOUISIANA STATE UNIV A&M COL BATON ROUGE
- **Principal Investigator:** Jimmy Lawrence
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $364,360
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-15 → 2028-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10888253

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10888253, Discrete Polymer-based, Metal-free MRI Contrast Agents (5R35GM151217-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10888253. Licensed CC0.

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