ShEEP Acquisition for a LICOR Pearl Trilogy Small Animal Imaging System

我们正在通过研究项目下的共享设备评估计划（ShEEP）申请资金。 由研究和发展办公室提供的设备管理计划，以获得LI-COR Pearl Trilogy Small Animal Imaging Platinum系统（在美国内布拉斯加州林肯制造，GSA合同 编号GS-07 F-240 CA）。这种综合成像系统使调查人员能够测量近红外 在活体动物、组织和体外分子测定中使用荧光和生物发光光学探针。的 该系统以高分辨率获取图像，允许研究体内复杂的生物相互作用。 相关的生理背景所需设备的成像能力足够灵敏， 使脑或骨组织等深层目标可视化。目前，这项技术还没有在 明尼阿波利斯VAHCS，我们的设施也没有任何其他设备具有同等能力。的 所需设备将存放在明尼阿波利斯VAHCS内的共享专用手术室中 兽医医疗股（VMU），并将提供给退伍军人事务部调查员作为共同服务设备。 所要求的成像系统将补充现有的基于多用户的仪器库存， 最终目标是提高效率和资源，同时促进转化（台式到床边）研究。 博士塔米·巴特里克将在明尼阿波利斯的全力支持下监督设备的培训和使用 VAHCS总监（帕特里克·J·凯利先生）、研发委员会主席（罗纳德·巴赫博士）和 VMU兽医（Matthew Rassette博士）主要和次要用户组对此感兴趣的领域 设备跨越多个VA研究学科，并共同代表了基础和转化 研究领域包括衰老、心血管疾病、癌症、神经科学、干细胞疗法、海湾战争 疾病和肥胖。确定的VA资助的主要用户将占仪器的至少75% 容量少数用户群体将占仪器容量的25%或更少。如果明尼阿波利斯VAHCS 是保持VA系统中最大和最活跃的研究计划之一，这对我们的 调查人员可以使用最新一代的高灵敏度、高分辨率仪器。的 收购LI-COR Pearl Platinum System将加速和提高研究人员 可以获取、分析、显示和理解数据，其长期目标是 满足美国退伍军人独特的医疗保健需求。我们有信心购买这些设备 将增强和扩展我们机构正在进行的研究的临床相关性，并将产生新的 共同努力，为与卫生保健需求相关的疾病开发治疗或疗法， 对退伍军人和公众。

We are requesting funds through the Shared Equipment Evaluation Program (ShEEP) under the Research Equipment Management program offered by the Office of Research and Development to acquire a LI-COR Pearl Trilogy Small Animal Imaging Platinum System (manufactured in Lincoln, Nebraska USA, GSA contract number GS-07F-240CA). This comprehensive imaging system allows investigators to measure near-infrared fluorescent and bioluminescent optical probes in live animals, tissue, and in vitro molecular assays. The system acquires images at a high resolution, allowing the study of complex biological interactions within a relevant physiological context. The imaging capabilities of the requested equipment are sensitive enough to visualize deep targets such as brain or bone tissue. Currently, this technology is not available at the Minneapolis VAHCS, nor does our facility have any other equipment with equivalent capabilities. The requested equipment will be housed in a shared dedicated procedure room within the Minneapolis VAHCS Veterinary Medical Unit (VMU), and will be made available to VA investigators as common service equipment. The requested imaging system will compliment an existing inventory of multiuser based instruments with the end goal of increasing efficiency and resources while fostering translational (bench-top to bed-side) research. Dr. Tammy Butterick will oversee the training and usage of the equipment under the full support of Minneapolis VAHCS Director (Mr. Patrick J. Kelly), the Research & Development Committee Chair (Dr. Ronald Bach), and the VMU veterinarian (Dr. Matthew Rassette). The fields of interest of major and minor user groups for this equipment span multiple VA research disciplines, and collectively represent both basic and translational research in areas such as aging, cardiovascular disease, cancer, neuroscience, stem cell therapies, Gulf War Illness, and obesity. The identified VA funded major users will account for at least 75% of the instrument capacity. The minor users group will occupy 25% or less of the instrument capacity. If the Minneapolis VAHCS is to remain one of the largest and most active research programs in the VA system, it is critical for our investigators to gain access to the newest generation of high-sensitivity, high-resolution instruments. The acquisition of the LI-COR Pearl Platinum System would accelerate and enhance the rate in which researchers from multiple disciplines can acquire, analyze, display, and understand data, with the long-term goal of benefiting the unique health care needs of US Veterans. We are confident that acquisition of this equipment will enhance and extend the clinical relevance of ongoing investigations in our facility, and will generate new collaborative efforts to develop treatments or therapies for diseases relevant to the health care needs of Veterans and to the general public.