Jorge Barrio

B2-086A CHS

Research Description:

Our Laboratory has more than 40 years of experience developing molecular imaging probes and investigating the intricate mechanisms of human disease. Synthetic chemistry, radiochemistry, biochemistry and molecular imaging methods in both animal models and humans cover the scope of our research, which includes the discovery of nucleoside and nucleotide fluorescent probes for probing DNA and RNA structures and the development of positron emitting labeled isotopes to measure specific enzymatic and neurotransmitter processes functionally deficient in movement disorders. Our work has led to the discovery of essential mechanisms of neurotransmitter synthesis associated with neuronal transport and the validation of 6-[F-18]fluoro-L-DOPA as a PET diagnostic probe for Parkinson’s disease; first demonstrated the feasibility of in vivo visualization of amyloid and tau aggregates in the living brain of Alzheimer’s disease and CTE patients using [F-18]FDDNP; develop F-18 radiolabeled acycloguanosine to probe gene expression in humans; and the ex vivo and in vivo mapping and functionality of SGLT transporters using methyl-[F-18]4FDG and 4-[F-18]FDG. Recipient of US Department of Energy and NIH funded grants our Laboratory has successfully administered projects and established collaborations with investigators at UCLA and elsewhere in the world.