Author: Zheng-Rong Lu Affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, USA. Abstract: Early detection and diagnosis of high-risk cancer is critical in decision-making and tailoring effective treatment. Development of new therapeutics is essential to treat the patients diagosed with high-risk cnacer and to improve their survival aand quality of life. Our lab is focused on translational development of new diagnostics and therapeutics for early detection and effective treatment of the diseases that impair and threaten human lives. We have designed and developed targeted Gd (III) based MRI contrast agents for detecting a biomarker associated with cancer matastasis and highly expressed in the extracellular matrix of malignant tumors. The targeted contrast agents specifically bind to the biomarker, resulting in high-resolution contrast enhanced molecular MRI of the tumors with a size as small as 0.5mm and are effective for imaging and detection of micrometastases. We have also developed targeted multifunctional delivery systems to deliver therapeutic siRNAs to regulate the expression of disease related genes to effectively treat life-threatening diseases, including matasattic breast cancer. The targeted siRNA delivery system can effectively silence a target gene associated with breast cancer matestasis via systemic administration to prevent cncer propression and matastasis in mouse triple negative breast cancer models.