Erik M Shapiro, PhD

Assistant Professor in Diagnostic Radiology

Curriculum Vitae (pdf; 90KB)

erik.shapiro@yale.edu Phone: 203-785-2899 Fax: 203-785-6643 Yale University School of Medicine 300 Cedar Street, TAC N129 New Haven, CT 06520-8042

Research Interests: My research is generally focused on using magnetic resonance imaging for molecular and cellular imaging. Molecular and cellular imaging allows scientists and doctors to move past simple anatomic imaging, enabling the observation and measurement of metabolic, physiological and functional processes in living subjects, non-invasively.

Working at the intersection of chemistry, physics and biology, my laboratory has three main cores. The first is the development of novel MRI contrast agents. Here, the focus is the construction of high relaxivity superparamagnetic nano- and micro-particles whose MRI properties can be made sensitive to various stimuli, gene expression, for example.

The second core is the use of magnetic resonance imaging for monitoring cell migration. Cells can be loaded with MRI contrast agents and observed using tailored experimental conditions. This can be accomplished both in transplant models and in the detection of endogenous cells, with the ability to detect single cells, in vivo. Current models under investigation in the laboratory are migration of native and non-native immune cells, homing of transplanted stem cells and migration of endogenous neuronal progenitor cells.

The third focus of the laboratory is the use of targeted contrast agents to detect specific molecular epitopes. The strategy here is to selectively target MRI contrast agent to precise tissues or cells of interest by way of antibody- or receptor-mediated affinity. This could be particularly useful in detecting cancer and for identifying unique cellular populations.

Education:  PhD Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 2001

Selected publications:

E.M. Shapiro, O. Gonzalez-Perez, J.M. Garcia-Verdugo, A. Alvarez-Buylla, A.P. Koretsky
Magnetic resonance imaging of the migration of neuronal precursors generated in the adult rodent brain. Neuroimage in press (2006).

E.M. Shapiro, K. Sharer, S. Skrtic, A.P. Koretsky
In vivo detection of single cells by MRI, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 55: 242-249(2006)

E.M. Shapiro, S. Skrtic, A.P. Koretsky
Sizing it up: Cellular MRI using micron-sized iron oxide particles, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 53: 329-338(2005)

E.M. Shapiro, S. Skrtic, K. Sharer, J.M. Hill, C.E. Dunbar, A.P. Koretsky
MRI detection of single particles for cellular imaging, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 101: 10901-10906(2004)

K.A. Hinds, J.M. Hill, E.M. Shapiro, M.O. Laukkanen, A.C. Silva, C.A. Combs, T.R. Varney, R.S. Balaban, A.P. Koretsky, C.E. Dunbar
Highly efficient endosomal labeling of progenitor and stem cells with large magnetic particles allows magnetic resonance imaging of single cells, Blood 102: 144-156(2003)