Curriculum for Imaging Sciences at Washington University (RMI)

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Washington University (WU) is an institution that for over 70 years has been a center of excellence in nuclear chemistry, radiochemistry, and Nuclear Medicine Imaging research. A group at WU designed and built the first positron emission tomography (PET) scanner in the early 1970's. Over the past 20 or more years, significant advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been developed at WU. More recently, WU has become a key institution for research in the areas of computed tomography (CT), ultrasound and optical imaging. The training of many generations of scientists in these areas of study has been carried out under several different graduate programs in several departments at the University. We propose to build upon the strengths of our combined experience in these diagnostic imaging modalities to develop a specific curriculum in the Imaging Sciences towards the training of graduate students, medical students, postdoctoral fellows and medical residents and fellows. Currently in the United States, there are graduate programs in certain aspects of Imaging Sciences, such as Biomedical Physics, Biomedical Engineering, Molecular Pharmacology and Radiological Sciences; however, to the best of our knowledge, there is no comprehensive training program that covers the whole discipline of Imaging Sciences. With the advent of "Molecular Imaging", many investigators are doing interdisciplinary research that involves more than one imaging modality and involves collaborations between chemists, physicists, biologists and clinicians. In order to train future generations of imaging scientists, we plan to develop a curriculum that includes core courses (Specific Aim 1) followed by pathways (Specific Aim 2) to allow trainees to specialize in one or more areas of Imaging Sciences. There are several courses already being taught in many WU Departments. In addition to the newly developed courses, these existing courses will be incorporated into the curriculum. Once the curriculum for a graduate program is developed, it will be modified for training of post-graduate trainees and distance learning for people at other institutions (Specific Aim 3). The highly interdisciplinary nature of training students in Imaging Sciences will involve three schools and several departments at WU. Due to the complexity of coordinating such a multi-discipline program, Specific Aim 4 will be focused on the administrative organization of a future graduate program in the Imaging Sciences. The breadth of the training from the curriculum designed for the Graduate Program and the post-graduate training described in this proposal will open up to graduates of the program opportunities for careers in top academic institutions and biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.