MRI for non-invasive cell tracking is recognized for enabling pre-clinical research on stem cell therapy. Yet, adoption of cellular imaging in stem cell research has been restricted to sites with experience in MR contrast agent synthesis and to small animal models that do not require scaled-up synthesis. In this study, we demonstrate the use of a gadolinium-free T1 contrast agent for tracking human embryonic stem cells. The agent, MnPNH2, is an easily synthesized manganese porphyrin that can be scaled for large cell numbers. MRI was performed on a 3 T clinical scanner. Cell pellets labeled at different MnPNH2 concentrations for 24 hours demonstrated a decrease in T1 relaxation time of nearly two-fold (P < 0.05), and cellular contrast was maintained for 24 hours (P < 0.05). Cell viability (Trypan blue) and differentiation (embryoid body formation) were unaffected. Cell uptake of Mn on inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy corroborated MRI findings, and fluorescence microscopy revealed the agent localized mainly in cell-cell boundaries and cell nuclei. Labeled cells transplanted in rats demonstrated the superior sensitivity of MnPNH2 for in-vivo cell tracking.

We demonstrate a facile and cost effective method to obtain gold nanoparticles on graphene by dispersing Au₁₄₄ molecular nanoclusters by spin coating them in thin layers on graphene-based films and subsequent annealing in a controlled atmosphere. The graphene-based thin films used for these experiments are prepared by solvent-assisted exfoliation of graphite in water in the presence of ribonucleic acid as a surfactant and by subsequent vacuum filtration of the resulting graphene-containing suspensions. Not only is this method easily reproducible, but it leads to gold nanoparticles that are not dependent in size on the number of graphene layers beneath them. This is a distinct advantage over other methods. Plasmonic effects have been detected in our gold nanoparticle-decorated graphene layers, indicating that these thin films may be useful in applications such as plasmonic solar cells and optical memory devices.

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing is cheaper and more accessible than ever before. What is generally hidden from the consumer is the intention to combine, reuse, and resell this genetic information as powerful datasets. This financial gain is creating a competitive DTC market, reducing the price of whole genome sequencing (WGS) down to USD 299. Entering this transition from SNP based DTC testing to WGS DTC testing, individuals looking for access to their whole-genomic information face new privacy and security risks. We studied the ownership question of whole genomic data for 30 weeks, by conducting weekly community discussions and seminar series. Differences between WGS and other methods of consumer genetic tests are left unexplored by regulation, leading to the application of legal data anonymization methods on whole genome data, and questionable consent methods. Large representative genomic datasets are important for research and improve the standard of medicine and personalized care. However, this data can also be used by market players, law enforcement, and governments for surveillance, population analyses, marketing purposes, and discrimination. Here, we present a summary of the state of WGS DTC genetic testing and its current regulation, through community-based methods to expose dual-use risks in consumer facing biotechnologies.