Faculty DirectoryThomas Meade
The Eileen M. Foell Professor of Chemistry, Molecular Biosciences, Neurobiology, Biomedical Engineering, and Radiology
Director of the Center for Advanced Molecular Imaging
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Contact
2170 Campus DriveSilverman Hall 2504
Evanston, IL 60208-2850
Email Thomas Meade
Website
Departments
Biography
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.
Research Interests
The Meade Lab research focuses on inorganic coordination chemistry for the study of molecular imaging of in vivo gene expression and intracellular messengers, transition metal enzyme inhibitors, and electronic biosensors. The design, synthesis and physical properties of transition metal and lanthanide coordination complexes are the foundation of our research.
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
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
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.
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.