SkyScan 1076 In Vivo Micro-Computed Tomography System

描述(由申请人提供)：这项提案寻求资金购买Sky Scan 1076活体微型计算机断层扫描(MicroCT)扫描仪，安装在宾夕法尼亚州大学园区的宾夕法尼亚州立大学(PSU)社会科学和生命科学成像中心(SLIC)。该系统将通过允许对解剖结构、疾病状态和治疗进行非侵入性评估，帮助几名目前得到资助的NIH研究人员以及其他研究人员解决具有挑战性的生物医学问题。Sky Scan 1076的优势在于它能够获取从老鼠到成年大鼠大小不等的活体动物的高分辨率图像(分辨率可达9 mm)。该仪器将直接惠及PSU 8个系和5个学院的14名不同研究人员的研究。在这些项目中，有5个目前由国家卫生研究院资助的项目将立即使用该工具，另外9个项目可以使用该系统进行针对未来提案的试点工作。所资助的国家卫生研究院项目的数据收集和实验方案将大大受益于体内微CT的获取和使用，从而能够开发更有效的技术和收集更可靠的数据。NIH获得的资助项目包括：1)颅脑融合在颅脑融合中的表观遗传学(R01DE018500-02)；2)过敏性哮喘发生的分子机制(R01AI073955-01A2、R01AI065566-04、R01AI051626-07)；3)ah受体介导的在胶原抗体诱导的关节炎小鼠模型中急性相基因表达的抑制(R01ES04869-20)；4)神经元模式形成的动力学和控制(R01MH50006-15，K02MH01493-10)；以及5)CRCNS：神经元组织中的波传播机制(R01MH079502-01)。尽管校园里的其他地方都有高分辨率CT，但PSU没有其他系统能够扫描活的动物。在体微CT扫描为生物医学研究提供了许多优于传统高分辨率扫描的优点。这些好处中的主要是能够在较长时间内纵向跟踪同一个体的结构、疾病或治疗。微型CT扫描仪将是PSU成像基础设施的宝贵补充，将允许使用小鼠和大鼠模型进行更广泛的生物医学研究。多种成像模式的集成为创新和变革性研究提供了重要机会，这些研究与许多人类健康问题有关，如癌症、肌肉骨骼和代谢性疾病。此外，与校园内的其他成像功能一起，该仪器将为学生提供重要的培训和研究机会。 公共卫生相关性：该项目建议在宾夕法尼亚州立大学安装高分辨率活体动物成像系统，以支持当前和未来的生物医学研究项目，这些项目涉及对公共健康具有重要意义的主题，包括哮喘、关节炎、颅缝早闭、癫痫、脑积水、动脉粥样硬化和肥胖。新的成像系统将允许进行更准确和更强大的分析，这将有助于改进对这些和其他重要健康问题的诊断和治疗。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal seeks funds to purchase a Sky Scan 1076 in vivo microcomputer tomography (microCT) scanner to be installed in the Penn State University (PSU) Social and Life Sciences Imaging Center (SLIC) at the University Park, PA, campus. This system will help several currently- funded NIH investigators as well as other researchers address challenging biomedical questions by allowing non-invasive assessment of anatomical structures, disease states, and treatments. The strength of the Sky Scan 1076 is its ability to acquire high resolution images (down to 9 mm) of live animals ranging in size from mouse to adult rat. This instrument will directly benefit the research of 14 different researchers spanning 8 departments and 5 colleges at PSU. Of these, 5 have current NIH funded projects that would make immediate use of the instrument and 9 others could use the system for pilot work directed toward future proposals. The data collection and experimental protocols of the funded NIH projects would benefit significantly from the acquisition and use of in vivo microCT, allowing more efficient techniques to be developed and more robust data to be collected. The funded NIH projects include: 1) Phenogenetics of Skull and Brain Integration in Craniosynostosis (R01DE018500-02); 2) Molecular Mechanisms of Allergic Asthma Development (R01AI073955-01A2, R01AI065566-04, R01AI051626-07); 3) Ah Receptor-Mediated Repression of Acute Phase Gene Expression in a Collagen Antibody Induced Arthritis Mouse Model (R01ES04869-20); 4) Dynamics and Control of Neuronal Pattern Formation (R01MH50006-15, K02MH01493-10); and 5) CRCNS: Mechanisms of Wave Propagation in Neuronal Tissue (R01MH079502-01). Although high-resolution CT is available elsewhere on campus, no other system at PSU is capable of scanning live animals. In vivo microCT scanning provides many benefits over traditional high-resolution scanning for biomedical research. Principal among these benefits is the ability to track structures, diseases, or treatments longitudinally in the same individuals across extended periods of time. The microCT scanner will be a valuable addition to the imaging infrastructure at PSU that will allow for expanded biomedical research using both mouse and rat models. The integration of multiple imaging modalities offers significant opportunities for innovative and transformational research of relevance to many human health issues such as cancer, musculoskeletal, and metabolic diseases. In addition, together with the other imaging capabilities on campus, this instrument will allow for significant training and research opportunities for students. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This project proposes to install a high-resolution live animal imaging system at Penn State University to support current and future biomedical research projects on topics of significant importance to public health including asthma, arthritis, craniosynostosis, epilepsy, hydrocephalus, atherosclerosis, and obesity. The new imaging system will allow more accurate and powerful analyses to be conducted which will help improve diagnosis and treatment of these and other important health issues.