Northeastern Ohio Animal Imaging Resource Center- NOAIRC

描述(由申请人提供)：我们建议成立俄亥俄州东北部动物影像资源中心(NOAIRC)，为许多地区癌症研究人员提供最先进的小动物、分子和细胞成像设施和专业知识。系统将包括一个组合的微型X射线计算机断层扫描/SPECT系统，一个带有针孔准直器的临床SPECT系统，一个高分辨率的微型PET系统，以及7T和9.4T小动物磁共振成像和光谱分析系统。所有这些都已经在现场或从最近的赠款和机构来源订购。获得SAIRP奖后，我们将获得一种生物发光/荧光成像系统，以促进报告基因方法和新型试剂(例如量子点)的新机会。我们还将创建具有彩色多普勒和显微OCT的小型动物光学相干断层扫描，以促进体内光谱方法和结构和功能的高级时空分析(例如，血流灌注)。 凯斯西部储备大学(医学、工程、艺术和科学)、克利夫兰大学医院、凯斯综合癌症中心和俄亥俄州三所学校对该项目的跨学科支持是史无前例的。除了通过核成像、磁共振成像和光谱学、生物发光/荧光和OCT等核心资源外，NOAIRC还将提供一个集成环境，包括定量图像分析和可视化、动物福利/实验准备和新型成像剂(如功能化脂质体或CEST试剂)等核心设施。这一核心与我们的放射性核素成像能力、我们正在进行的针对靶向治疗的生物分子和纳米级工程、正在进行的报告基因研究以及P20体内和分子成像中心计划拨款相结合，以增加分子成像的战略力量。所有这些都将集中在一个设施内，以促进交叉协作和跨学科研究。 这一提议将成像研究人员与许多通过小动物模型研究癌症生物学的地区性科学家聚集在一起，并迅速认识到体内成像的力量。我们的目标是通过开发新的图像采集和分析方法、报告基因和功能化试剂的新方法以及药代动力学模型来推动小动物成像技术的发展。我们将把发展应用到癌症生物学和治疗的实验中。动物福利/准备研究将集中于分析麻醉的生理效应，并开发新的配方，以保持被测量的生理，同时提供最先进的血液采样和监测方法。NOAIRC将包括一个强有力的教育重点，以创造长期的影响。它将为凯斯大学现有的强大的成像博士项目注入活力。它将通过与现有的T32和K12赠款相结合，加强对癌症基础和临床科学家的教育计划，并通过K25提案促进新的领域。其结果将是为下一代常规和分子成像技术培训的临床医生、科学家和工程师。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose to form the Northeastern Ohio Animal Imaging Resource Center (NOAIRC) to provide the many regional cancer researchers with state-of-the-art small animal, molecular and cellular imaging facilities and expertise. Systems will include a combined micro-X-ray computed tomography/SPECT system, a clinical SPECT system with pin-hole collimators, a high resolution micro-PET system, and 7T and 9.4T small animal MR imaging and spectroscopy systems. All are already on-site or ordered from recent grant awards and institutional sources. With an SAIRP award, we will acquire a bioluminescence/fluorescence imaging system to facilitate reporter gene methods and new opportunities in novel agents (e.g., quantum dots). We will also create small animal optical coherence tomography with color Doppler and microscopic OCT to promote in vivo spectroscopic methods and high spatial and temporal analysis of structure and function (e.g., perfusion). Interdisciplinary backing for this project is unprecedented with financial and other commitments from three schools of Case Western Reserve University (Medicine, Engineering, Arts & Sciences), the University Hospitals of Cleveland, the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the State of Ohio. In addition to core resources via nuclear imaging, MR imaging and spectroscopy, bioluminescence/fluorescence, and OCT, the NOAIRC will also provide an integrated environment with core facilities in quantitative image analysis and visualization, animal welfare/experiment preparation and novel imaging agents like functionalized liposomes or CEST agents. This latter core integrates with our radionuclide imaging capabilities, our ongoing biomolecular and nanoscale engineering for targeted therapeutics initiative, ongoing research in reporter genes, and a P20 In-vivo and Molecular Imaging Center planning grant to add strategic strength in molecular imaging. All of these will be within a single facility to promote cross-collaboration and interdisciplinary research. This proposal brings together researchers in imaging with the many regional scientists who are studying cancer biology via small animal models and rapidly gaining an appreciation of the power of in vivo imaging. We aim to advance small animal imaging technology by developing new image acquisition and analysis methods, new methods in reporter genes and functionalized agents, and pharmacokinetic modeling. We will apply developments to experiments in cancer biology and therapy. Animal welfare/preparation research will focus on analysis of physiologic effects of anesthesia and developing new formulations that maintain the physiology to be measured, while providing state-of-the-art methods for blood sampling and monitoring. The NOAIRC will include a strong educational focus to create a long-range impact. It will invigorate strong Ph.D. programs in imaging already at Case. It will strengthen educational programs for basic and clinical scientists in cancer via integration with existing T32 and K12 grants and promote new horizons via K25 proposals. The result will be clinicians, scientists, and engineers trained for the next generation of conventional and molecular imaging techniques.