SMALL ANIMAL IMAGING

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. The Small Animal Imaging Core (Core 2) will provide support for in vivo imaging of rodent models for the Proposed Projects. Dr. Towner, the Director of the Advanced Magnetic Resonance Center, and of Core 2, will oversee all aspects of in vivo rodent imaging involving the use of the 7 Tesla small animal MRI that will be utilized in the Proposed Projects. For vascular imaging, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging on large (angiography (MRA)) and small vessels (DCE (dynamic contrast-enhanced)-MRI and perfusion MRI) can be used to assess angiogenesis for Projects 1 and 5. Towner has extensive experience in developing molecular MRI nanoprobes that can be used to assess levels of inflammatory (e.g. iNOS) and angiogenesis (e.g. VEGF-R2) markers, which can be used in Project 4 to assess intracapsular iNOS levels, and the same approach for VEGF-R3 in Projects 2 and 5 to assess in vivo VEGF-R3 levels. These compounds also have the capability of being monitored by other imaging modalities such as microscopic fluorescence imaging via a biotin tag on the molecular MRI probes in collaboration with Core 1. Dr. Towner is also developing iron oxide-based nanoparticles, which can be used to detect macrophages in vivo in atherosclerosis for Project 3. Recently we have used iron oxide-based nanoprobes to specifically detect VEGF-R2 levels in vivo.