In Vivo Ultrasound Imaging System (VEVO 2100, VisualSonics)

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案的目标是确保为用于小动物模型的体内超声成像系统（VEVO 2100，Visual Sonics，多伦多，加拿大）提供资金。这是一种高分辨率的体内超声显微成像系统，专为小动物模型的综合解剖学和生理学的非侵入性实时研究而设计。该系统提供的空间分辨率从100微米到30微米，深度分别从36毫米到12毫米，这代表了当今可用的最高分辨率。此外，实时成像系统允许超声引导注射，用于将生物试剂（微粒、基因、siRNA、microRNA和干细胞）递送到小动物模型中的不同器官。这项技术目前还没有在加州大学戴维斯分校。拟议中的系统将服务于一大群NIH资助的研究人员。我们的研究团队的一个独特之处是其教师的多样性。我们的团队成员在他们的职业生涯的各个阶段，是来自五个不同的学校/学院（医学院，兽医学院，工程学院，农业和环境科学学院，生物科学学院）的多个部门的成员。这组研究人员参与了几个多学科的合作项目，包括心血管，血管， 肺、肾和中枢神经系统研究。小动物模型的使用，包括基因靶向模型，为近年来医学的重大进展铺平了道路。事实上，这些小动物模型对于包括心血管和血管疾病、肺部疾病、癌症和神经系统疾病在内的各种疾病的临床前研究至关重要。以高分辨率直接量化从胚胎到成年的解剖和生理信息的能力以及使用超声引导的生物试剂递送将极大地推进我们对这些模型的认识和翻译，以治疗人类疾病。该提案将使非侵入性体内高分辨率疾病模型评估的应用成为可能，这将促进进一步的合作转化研究项目。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this proposal is to secure funding for an in vivo ultrasound imaging system for small animal models (VEVO 2100, Visual Sonics, Toronto, Canada). This is a high-resolution in vivo ultrasound micro- imaging system designed specifically for non-invasive real-time studies of integrated anatomy and physiology in small animal models. The system offers spatial resolutions from 100 ¿m to 30 ¿m with depths from 36 mm down to 12 mm respectively, which represents the highest resolution available today. Moreover, the real-time imaging system allows for ultrasound-guided injections for delivery of biological reagents (micro particles, genes, siRNA, microRNA, and stem cells) to different organs in small animal models. This technology is not currently available at UC Davis. The proposed system will serve a large group of NIH-funded investigators. A unique feature of our research team is the diversity of its faculty. Our team members are at various stages of their careers and are members of multiple departments from five different schools/colleges (School of Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, School of Engineering, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and College of Biological Sciences). This group of investigators is involved in several multidisciplinary collaborative projects that include cardiovascular, vascular, pulmonary, renal, and central nervous systems research. The uses of small animal models, including genetically targeted models, have paved the way for major advances in Medicine during recent years. Indeed, these small animal models are critical for the preclinical studies of diverse classes of diseases including cardiovascular and vascular diseases, pulmonary diseases, cancers, and neurological diseases. The ability to directly quantify the anatomical and physiologic information at a high resolution from embryos to adulthood as well as the use of ultrasound-guided delivery of biological reagents will greatly advance our knowledge and translation of these models to the treatment of human diseases. This proposal will enable the application of non-invasive in vivo high-resolution assessment of disease models that will foster further collaborative translational research projects.