Themed collection Imaging, biosensing and diagnostics: 2025 Chemical Science symposium collection

Photocages are photosensitive molecules that can release specific compounds, usually of biological relevance. We found that these compounds are highly phototoxic and may be less innocent than previously thought.

DM301 is a simple, mitochondria-targeting probe enabling real-time imaging of pH, viscosity, and O₂˙⁻, with demonstrated diagnostic utility in tumor, hepatic injury, and fatty liver disease models.

Mapping the distribution of cells within a tissue using MR imaging has remained a significant challenge for the field.

The native and tunable microscale fluid manipulation accessible within 3D-printed configurations can be a transformative tool in biosensing, promoting mass transport and sample mixing to boost assay performance. Response speed, magnitude and selectivity.

In this study, we present the first reported use of bioorthogonal click chemistry with rhenium-188 for radiolabelling of an anti-c-Met V_HH Nanobody®.

Lanthanide–tetrazine complexes were synthesised and evaluated via optical spectroscopy and relaxivity. A bio-orthogonal click reaction with a cyclic-RGD-peptide was successful and the resulting Gd complex demonstrated enhanced relaxivity.

Enzyme-mediated synthesis using one or a combination of two substrates produced biocombinatorial mixtures of multimeric linear and macrocyclic hydroxamic acid chelators. Screening the pools with Ga(III) or Zr(IV) revealed new coordination chemistry..

The activated specific transmembrane symport of cations/anions and associated water provides a mechanism by which a significant switch in MRI contrast/relaxivity can be generated with paramagnetically loaded liposomes.

Covalent DFOB-DOTA dual chelator (‘D2’) binds ⁸⁹Zr (DFOB) and ¹⁷⁷Lu (DOTA) regio-selectively enabling ⁸⁹Zr–¹⁷⁷Lu pairing as a novel cancer-targeting theranostic.

Probes containing a bioisostere for protein labeling systems using HaloTag and PYP-tag were developed to suppress undesired organelle accumulation and applied for live-cell imaging of GLUT4.

We report a mitochondrial-targeted activity-based sensor for formaldehyde, MitoRFAP-2, and apply this reagent to probe sources and sinks of the mitochondrial one-carbon pool.

Biocompatible fluorescent BODIPY probes with excellent quantum yields, demonstrating a high mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP)-sensitive localisation in the mitochondria. PEGylation improved biocompatibility and lowers cytotoxicity.

Ratiometric FRET-based probe CD–N-I was developed to detect exogenous ONOO⁻ in live cells and endogenous ONOO⁻ in APAP-induced liver injury of HepG2 cells.

An efficient synthesis of Au nanohybrids with bright NIR-II emission, tunable shape, and controllable surface PEG is presented, and the necklace-like Au nanohybrids with dense brush PEG show good potential in dynamic visualization of thrombolysis.

Fluorescent probes with a designed unnatural warhead for binding to PYP-tag enabled intracellular/cell-surface selective protein labeling. This unique imaging tool was successfully applied to reveal multiple subcellular localizations of GLUT4.

In this work, we first utilize nanoparticles to yield superhydrophobic surfaces for accurate fluid flow control, and design a CD microfluidic chip integrated with multiplex functions to realize non-destructive information extraction from data DNA.

Stimulated Raman scattering microscopy with spectral phasor analysis provides a label-free approach for phenotypic evaluation of drug-induced effects.

A hydrogen sulfide sensing naphthalimide based peptide conjugate (HSNPc) worked as a novel cancer cell imaging agent and showed selective cell apoptosis.

We report a dual-fluorophore approach for ratiometric fluorescent imaging of K⁺ levels in live cells. Intracellular esterases cleave RPS-1 to detach the K⁺-responsive fluorophore (PS525) from its internal standard (Coumarin 343).

Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) targeted radiosensitizers are developed for prostate cancer CT imaging and radiotherapy based on gold nanoparticles and a high-affinity targeting peptide, PSMA-1, revealing a size-dependent pattern.

Hyperspectral stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy coupled to spectral phasor analysis is a powerful method for the detection of fatty acids in solution and in cellular lipid droplets.

We have developed an innovative approach that offers visual self-monitoring of insulin quality and may provide consumers the freedom to self-investigate their insulin dosage quality right before usage.

An indium-111-labelled peptide binds to myeloma cells, enabling SPECT imaging of myeloma cell accumulation in lungs after intravenous administration. This is the first report of a radiolabelled cell-membrane binding peptide for cell tracking.

Homoleptic and heteroleptic Pd²⁺ cages incorporating targeting peptides where synthesized, characterized, and successfully ¹⁸F-radiolabeled. This work moves forward the field of self-assembled coordination complexes for nuclear imaging applications.