Nucleic Acid Aptamers for In Vivo Molecular Imaging

New drug compounds discovery has moved at an accelerated pace in recent years, with a considerable focus on the transition from in vitro to in vivo models. As a result, there has been a significant increase in the need to adapt and develop novel non-invasive, high resolution in vivo imaging approaches for studying disease development and quantitatively determining molecular and cellular events in vivo. Non-invasive imaging methods allow continuous monitoring of disease development in vivo. For example, real time spatialtemporal analysis of tumour growth can reveal the dynamics of cancer progression. Furthermore, the effects of therapy can be evaluated non-invasively in vivo. These approaches offer the ability to perform repetitive observations and interventions of the biological processes underlying disease development and progression.