Home page of Sangeeta Ray

Research Interest

Our long term research objective is to develop new imaging and therapeutic agents and nanomaterials that could contribute to improve detection, treatment, and prevention of cancer and related diseases. Along that direction, we will continue to develop necessary chemistry and bioconjugate techniques for important cellular and molecular targets. Our specific research emphasis is directed towards the design and synthesis of metal-based imaging agents for positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), optical (fluorescence), as well as multimodality imaging. Currently, we are developing targeted multimodality nanoformulations for therapeutic delivery under image guidance.

Honors and Awards

Berson-Yalow Award Sponsor: Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) (2011)
Career Development Grant NIH/NCI (2011-2016)
Travel award, World Molecular Imaging Congress (2013)

Selected Publications

Banerjee SR, Wei L, Levadala MK, Lazarova N, Golub VO, Oconnor CJ, Stephenson KA, Valliant JF, Babich JW, Zubieta J. {ReIIICl3} core complexes with bifunctional single amino acid chelates. Inorg Chem. 2002; 41(22):5795-5802.

Banerjee SR, Levadala MK, Lazarova N, Wei L, Valliant JF, Stephenson KA, Babich JW, Maresca KP, Zubieta J. Bifunctional single amino acid chelates for labeling of biomolecules with the {Tc(CO)3}+ and {Re(CO)3}+ cores. Crystal and molecular structures of [ReBr(CO)3(H2NCH2C5H4N)], [Re(CO)3-{(C5H4NCH2)2NH}]Br, [Re(CO)3{(C5H4NCH2)2NCH2CO2H}]Br, [Re(CO)3{X(Y)NCH2CO2CH2CH3}]Br (X=Y=2-pyridylmethyl; X=2-pyridylmethyl, Y = 2-(1-methylimidazolyl)methyl; X = Y = 2-(1-methylimidazolyl)methyl), [ReBr(CO)3{(C5H4NCH2)NH(CH2C4H3S)}], and [Re(CO)3{(C5H4NCH2)N(CH2C4H3S)(CH2CO2)}]. Inorg Chem. 2002;41(24): 6417-6425.

Banerjee SR, Babich JW, Zubieta J. Site directed maleimide bifunctional chelators for the M(CO)3+ core (M = 99mTc, Re). Chem Comm. 2005 (13); 1784-1786.

Banerjee SR, Maresca KP, Stephenson K, Valliant, JF, Babich JW, Graham WA, Barzana M, Dong Q, Fischman AJ, Zubieta J. N-bis(2-Mercaptoethyl)methylamine(NS2): A new coligand for Tc-99m labeling of hydrazino-nicotiamide(HYNIC) peptides. Bioconjug Chem. 2005; 16 (4): 885-902.

Banerjee SR, Foss CA, Castanares M, Mease RC, Byun Y, Fox J, Hilton J, Lupold SE, Kozikowski AP, Pomper MG. Synthesis and evaluation of technetium-99m- and rhenium-labeled inhibitors of the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). J. Med Chem. 2008; 51 (15):4504-4517.

Chandran SS, Banerjee SR, Mease RC, Pomper MG, Denmeade SR. Characterization of a targeted nanoparticle functionalized with a urea-based inhibitor of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). Cancer Biol Ther. 2008; 7 (6):974-82.

Banerjee SR, Pullambhatla M, Byun Y, Nimmagadda S, Foss CA, Green G, Fox JJ, Lupold SE, Mease RC, Pomper MG. Sequential SPECT and optical imaging of experimental models of prostate cancer with a Dual modality inhibitor of the prostate-specific membrane antigen. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl.2011 50 (39):9167-9170.

Chen Z, Penet MF, Nimmagadda S, Li C, Banerjee SR, Winnard PT Jr, Artemov D, Glunde K, Pomper MG, Bhujwalla ZM. PSMA-targeted theranostic nanoplex for prostate cancer therapy. ACS Nano. 2012;6(9):7752-7762.

Banerjee SR, Pullambhatla M, Foss CA, Falk A, Byun Y, Nimmagadda S, Mease RC, Pomper MG. Effect of chelators on the pharmacokinetics of (99m)Tc-labeled imaging agents for the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). J Med Chem. 2013; 56:6108-6121.

Yang X, Song X, Li Y, Liu G, Banerjee SR, Pomper MG, McMahon MT. Salicylic acid and analogues as diaCEST MRI contrast agents with highly shifted exchangeable proton frequencies. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2013;52:8116-19. PMCID: PMC3819166.

Banerjee SR, Pullambhatla M, Foss CA, Ferdani R, Anderson CJ, Nimmagadda S, Mease RC, Pomper MG. 64Cu-Labeled Inhibitors of prostate-specific membrane antigen for PET imaging of prostate cancer. J Med Chem. 2014; 57:2657-69.

Inventions, Patents, Copyrights (pending, awarded)

(2008) Pomper MG, Ray S, Mease RC, Foss C. Labeled inhibitors of prostate specific membrane antigen (psma), biological evaluation, and use as imaging agents. U. S. provisional patent application. PCT Int. Appl. WO 2009002529 A2 20081231.

(2009) Chandran SS, Ray S, Denmeade SR, Pomper MG, Mease RC. PSMA-targeted nanoparticles for therapy of prostate cancer. WO 2009070302 A1 20090604.

(2010) Pomper MG, Mease RC; Ray S, Chen Y. PSMA-targeting compounds and uses thereof. PCT Int. Appl. WO 2010108125 A2 20100923.

(2011) Pomper MG, Mease RC.; Ray S, Shallal, H. Preparation of homomultivalent and heteromultivalent ligand-containing lysine-glutamate urea moieties as prostate specific membrane antigen (PMSA) inhibitors for therapeutic and imaging use. PCT Int. Appl. WO 2013082338 A1 20130606.

(2012) Pomper MG, Bhujwalla Z, Chen Z, Li Cong, Nimmagadda S, Penet M-F, Ray S. Theranostic targeted nanoplexes which carry multimodality imaging reporters together with target enzyme inhibitors, such as siRNAs and target prodrug enzymes, and their use in disease diagnosis and treatment. U.S. PCT Int. Appl. WO 2012135592 A2 20121004.

(2013) Yang X, Song X, Ray S, Pomper MG, McMahon M. Compositions and methods for chemical exchange saturation transfer (cest) based magnetic resonance imaging (mri). PCT Int. Appl. WO 2014186737 A1 20141120.

(2013) Yang X, Song X, Ray S, Pomper MG, McMahon M. Preparation of amino acid-linked azoledicarboxamide derivatives, compositions and methods for chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) PCT Int. Appl.WO 2014182538 A1 20141113.

(2014) Ray S, Pomper MG. Prostate-specific membrane antigen targeted magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agents for molecular imaging of prostate cancer. (JHU Ref#13061).

(2014) Ray S, Yang X, Song X, McMahon M, Pomper MG. Salicylic acid-based polymeric CEST contrast agents for molecular imaging of prostate-specific membrane antigen. (JHU Ref#13062).