Thomas Meade Professor

Research Summary: 

At Northwestern University, I lead a multidisciplinary research program at the intersection of chemistry, molecular imaging, and translational medicine. As the Eileen M. Foell Professor of Cancer Research and Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence, I hold appointments in Chemistry, Molecular Biosciences, Neurobiology, and Radiology, and am the faculty director of The Center for Advanced Molecular Imaging (CAMI). The lab is divided into three sub-groups that focus on molecular imaging probes, electronic biosensors for proteins, and inhibitors of transcription factors. We are particularly interested in using coordination chemistry to create contrast agents that respond to enzymatic activity, redox status, gene expression, and other cellular signals. These imaging tools provide dynamic, noninvasive readouts of molecular events in vivo, enabling earlier detection, real-time monitoring, and more precise characterization of disease.

We maintain close collaborations with clinical and basic science investigators to translate new imaging strategies into meaningful diagnostic and therapeutic applications, especially in cancer and neuroscience. Beyond developing new probes, we are focused on understanding the mechanisms that govern probe distribution, uptake, and activation in biological environments. Our goal is to push the boundaries of molecular imaging to better understand disease at its earliest stages and to develop new tools for personalized medicine.

Selected Publications: 

1H Parashift Probes for Ratiometric Detection of Nitroreductase
Kaster M. A., Caldwell M. A., Roach C. M., Bailey, M. D., Meade, T. J., ACS Inorganic Chemistry, 2025

Gadolinium Conjugated Lipoic-Acid Hydrogels for Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Brotherton, A. R., Phillips-Sorich, B., DomNwachukwu, N., Bailey, M. D., Patel, A. S., Parigi, G., Luchinat, C., Meade, T. J. ACS Applied Bio Materials, 2025, DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.5c00584

Ultra-high resolution magnetic resonance microscopy of in situ gadolinium gold nanoparticles labeled cells in the rat brain
Kisel, A.; Luo, M.; Bailey, M. D.; Ghuman, H.; Rotz, M.; Campos, V.; Vieira, M.; Hitchens, K. T.; Meade, T. J.; Modo, M. M. Chemical Science, 2025, DOI:10.1039/d5sc01588j

MRI detection of senescent cells in porcine knee joints with a β-galactosidase responsive Gd-chelate
Nernekli, K., Mangarova, D.B., Daldrup-Link, H. E., Meade, T. J. npj Imaging, 2025, 3, 18

Alkaline Phosphatase-Targeted, Gadolinium-Labeled Nanoparticles for Enhanced Multimodal Imaging of Liver Cancer
Luo, M., Bailey, M. D., Hyun, K., Lei, Y., Meade, T. J. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2025, 17, 19, 28000–28011

Gli pathway-targeted Co(III) Schiff base complexes inhibit migration of basal cell carcinoma cells
Bond, C. E., Olson, K. D., Punar, M., Friedman, L. B., Tang, J. H., Luo, M., Bailey, M. D., Holmgren, R. A., Meade, T. J. RSC Advances, 2025, 15, 8572-8579

Disulfide Incorporated Pyridine and Pyridinium Push–Pull Dyes for Optical Sensing and Antifouling Electrodes
Brotherton, A. R., DomNwachukwu, N., Bailey, M. D., Rivnay, J., Meade, T. J. Langmuir, 2025, 41, 12, 8144–8151

MR Imaging Reveals Dynamic Aggregation of Multivalent Glycoconjugates in Aqueous Solution
Tang, J.-H., Luo, M., Tsao, W., Waters, E. A., Parigi, G., Luchinat, C., Meade, T. J., Inorganic Chemistry, 2024, 63, 24662-24671

Synthesis and Relaxivity of Gadolinium-Based DOTAGA Conjugated 3-Phosphoglycerate
Brotherton, A. R., Mohamed S. N., Meade, T. J. Dalton Transactions,  2024, 53, 17777 – 17782

HaloTag-Modified, Ferrocene Labeled Self-Assembled Monolayers for Protein Sensing
Brotherton, A. R., Neupane, G. P., Ji, X., Sullivan, K., Bailey, M. D., Berns, E. J., Rivnay, J., Mrksich, M., Meade, T. J., Langmuir, 2024, 40, 22856-22864.

HaloTag display enables quantitative single-particle characterisation and functionalisation of engineered extracellular vesicles
Mitrut, R. E., Stranford, D. M., DiBiase, B. N., Chan, J. M., Bailey, M. D., Luo, M., Harper, C. S., Meade, T. J., Wang, M., Leonard, J. N.,J Extracell Vesicles. 2024 Jul; 13(7): e12469-.

Development of Ln(III) Derivatives as 19F Parashift Probes
Kaster, M. A., Caldwell, M. A., Meade, T. J. Inorganic Chemistry 2024, 63, 21, 9877–9887.

Musculoskeletal imaging of senescence
Daldrup-Link, H.E., Suryadevara, V., Tanyildizi, Y.,  Nernekli, K., Tang, J. -H., Meade, T. J.. Skeletal Radiology V53, 1879–1887, (2024)

Molecular Engineering of Self-Immolative Bioresponsive MR Probes
Tang, J.-H.; Li, H.; Yuan, C.; Parigi, G.; Luchinat, C.; Meade, T. J.. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2023, 145, 10045-10050.

Engineered Non-Viral Protein Cages Modified for MR Imaging
Kaster, M.; Levasseur, M.; Edwardson, T.; Caldwell, M.; Hofmann, D.; Licciardi, G.; Parigi, G.; Luchinat, C.; Hilvert, D.; Meade, TJ. ACS Applied Bio Materials, 2023, 6, 2, 591–602.

 

Selected Honors: