Our overall goal is to expand the role of CPPs in molecular imaging at the patient level using large animal models of human tumors and a peptide agent that inherently provides 1) preferential access to a wide variety of human solid (and hematologic) tumor cells, 2) an increased intracellular concentration (2-12 fold) over histologically matched normal cells, and 3) identifies primary and metastatic lesions in murine xenograft models. The lead compound (p28) proposed for this research will soon complete an accelerated dose Phase I clinical trial (pharmacokinetics;toxicity IND No. 77754) for advanced, refractory solid tumors. It also has potential for improving diagnostic imaging in human and veterinary patients. The solubility, stability, lack of toxicity, ease of structural modification and preferential entry of p28 into a wide variety of common and rare solid tumors relative to their normal cellular counterparts provides a broad spectrum of applicability as a carrier for either contrast (MRI) or functional imaging agents, i.e., Positron Emission Tomography (PET). As such it provides an opportunity to rapidly transition from a laboratory based series of observations to peptide-based diagnostic (prognostic) agents that improve therapeutic strategies for common as well as rare oncologic diseases. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The proposal describes a series of new and unique agents that immediately and significantly impact PA-10-050, "PHS 2010-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, FDA and ACF for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44])". The overall goal of the proposal titled "Multifunctional Peptides for (MRI) Imaging" is to expand research and development on a unique, multifunctional peptide that is the lead compound in a platform technology on which the University of Illinois was recently awarded US patents 7,084,105;7491394, 7,381,701, and 7556810 claiming preferential entry into malignant and embryonic eukaryotic cells with a variety of "cargos" and inhibiting malignant cell proliferation and U.S. Patent App. Ser. No. 11/488,695 - "Transport Agents for Crossing the Blood-Brain Barrier and Into Brain Cancer Cells, and Methods of Use Thereof."