Researchers writing in Frontiers in Science examine how lanthanide carriers could support the next generation of biomedical imaging by enhancing the performance of MRI, optical imaging, and X-ray-based techniques.
Prof Xiaogang Liu and Dr Jorge Méndez-Ramos explore how engineered carriers—including nanoparticles, small-molecule chelators, and protein scaffolds—can tune the optical and magnetic properties of lanthanide ions for biomedical imaging.
Their article reviews recent advances across optical, X-ray, and magnetic resonance imaging. It highlights how lanthanide carriers can improve signal contrast, reduce background signals, limit photodamage and radiation exposure, and reveal subtle biological changes such as temperature, force, and hydration within living systems.
Join the authors at our Frontiers in Science Deep Dive webinar on 8 October 2026, 15:00–16:30 CEST, as they discuss how these proof-of-concept advances could move toward clinical use. The discussion will explore opportunities in multimodal imaging, theranostics, AI-guided probe design, stronger validation standards, and the remaining challenges around safety, scalability, regulation, and clinical translation.
Lanthanide carriers: biomedical imaging redefined | 8 October 2026 | Register
Frontiers in Science Deep Dive sessions bring researchers, policy experts, and innovators together from around the world to discuss a specific area of transformational science published in Frontiers' flagship, multidisciplinary journal, Frontiers in Science, and explore next steps for the field.