Molecular Imaging Center

The Molecular Imaging Center (CIM) at the University of Torino, directed by Silvio Aime, is a cross-disciplinary chemistry and life science lab. Our work at the CIM is to develop imaging probes that support preclinical research with focus in several life science areas. It was founded by a joined initiative of chemists, biologists and physicians approved by the Italian Ministry of University and Research in 2001.

Currently, the CIM is an international imaging science center equipped with state-of-the-art imaging instrumentations covering all the available imaging modalities as well as multimodality imaging.

Since 2016, it coordinates the activities of the Euro-BioImaging multi-sited 'Multi-Modal Molecular Imaging Italian Node' (MMMI), which offers access to Molecular Imaging technologies and related services to national and trans-national reasearchers. Users can access our services at a discounted rate by applying at the Euro-BioImaging Web Access Portal . More info on the MMMI Node website.

Research Areas

Imaging & Therapy
Theranostic dendrimersomes
CEST imaging
Graphic representing DIACEST, PARACEST and LIPOCEST agents
Scheme representing the action of an enzyme to form a product by connecting two substrates togheter
Cell labeling and tracking
Scheme representing negative Gd-containing particles electrostatically bonded to cationic polypeptide chains surrounding a cell
Tumor angiogenesis
Scheme representing neoangiogenic vessels connecting a tumor mass to a main vessel
Tumor acidosis
Scheme representing some of the methabolism involved in tumor acidosis
Tumor metabolism
Scheme representing tumor metabolism

News and Events

Euro-BioImaging


Euro-BioImaging logo European Commission launched the Euro-Bioimaging ERIC

Italian Multi-sited Multi-Modal Molecular Imaging (MMMI) Node Candidate

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COST Actions

COST Actions CA15209 - Eurelax
"European Network on NMR Relaxometry"

COST Actions CA16103 - Parenchima
"Magnetic Resonance Imaging Biomarkers for Chronic Kidney Disease"

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Ongoing Projects

GLINT logo
CIM partecipates to the H2020 project GLINT aimed to investigate GlucoCESt imaging as a potentially disruptive new diagnostic tool.

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Primo GAIA logo
CIM partecipates to the H2020 project Primo GAIA Prepolarized MRI at Earth Field to seek new contrasts linked to molecular events for very early detection of pathologies

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EMIM meeting


15th European Molecular Imaging Meeting 2020 image 15th European Molecular Imaging Meeting 24-27 March 2020 Thessaloniki, Greece

ISMRM meeting


ISMRM 28th Annual Meeting 2020 image ISMRM 28th Annual Meeting 2020 18-23 April 2020 Sydney, Australia

WMIC meeting


World Molecular Imaging Congress 2023 image World Molecular Imaging Congress 2023 5-9 October 2020 Prague, Czech Republic

Recent papers

Novel Nanogels Loaded with Mn(II) Chelates as Effective and Biologically Stable MRI Probes.
Carniato F et al;
Small (2023): 2302868.
Hard-Shelled Glycol Chitosan Nanoparticles for Dual MRI/US Detection of Drug Delivery/Release: A Proof-of-Concept Study.
Baroni S et al;
Nanomaterials (Basel) 2023 Aug 1;13(15):2227
Micro/Nanosystems for Magnetic Targeted Delivery of Bioagents.
Garello F et al;
Pharmaceutics . 2022 May 26;14(6):1132.
Synthetic and Nanotechnological Approaches for a Diagnostic Use of Manganese.
Sguizzato M et al;
Molecules . 2022 May 13;27(10):3124.
Effects of Cations on HPTS Fluorescence and Quantification of Free Gadolinium Ions in Solution; Assessment of Intracellular Release of Gd3+ from Gd-Based MRI Contrast Agents.
Scarciglia A et al;
Molecules . 2022 Apr 12;27(8):2490
XNAT-PIC: Extending XNAT to Preclinical Imaging Centers.
Zullino S et al;
J Digit Imaging . 2022 Aug;35(4):860-875.
In vitro and in vivo BNCT investigations using a carborane containing sulfonamide targeting CAIX epitopes on malignant pleural mesothelioma and breast cancer cells.
Geninatti Crich S et al;
Sci Rep 10, 19274 (2020)
Imaging tumor acidosis: a survey of the available techniques for mapping in vivo tumor pH.
Longo D. et al;
Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2019 Feb 14.
Gadolinium presence, MRI hyperintensities, and glucose uptake in the hypoperfused rat brain after repeated administrations of gadodiamide.
Gianolio E. et al;
Neuroradiology. 2018
A novel class of 1H-MRI Contrast Agents based on the relaxation enhancement induced on water protons by 14N imidazole moieties.
Geninatti Crich S et al;
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Accepted
Indocyanine Green labeling for optical and photoacoustic imaging of Mesenchymal Stem Cells after in vivo transplantation.
Terreno E. et al;
J Biophotonics. 2018
Efficient Route to Label Mesenchymal Stromal Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles. Geninatti S. et al;
ACS Omega. 2018 Jul 31;3(7):8097-8103.