A multimodal small animal imaging system

这项请求是为了一种多功能的小动物成像系统，它将增强NSERC资助的达尔豪西大学教职员工Kienesberger博士、Pulinilkunnil博士和Brunt博士的研究项目的国际竞争力，他们共享位于新不伦瑞克校区Dalhousie University Saint John的新基础研究设施中的一个开放访问实验室。该成像系统是独一无二的，因为它在一个单元中提供了四种高灵敏度成像方式--发光、荧光、放射性同位素和X射线，从而为实验设计提供了灵活性。由于这些特性，该设备不仅将促进Kienesberger博士、Pulinilkunnil博士和Brunt博士的研究，而且还将促进他们的合作者和该地区的其他研究人员的研究。该成像仪将被用来提高我们对动物生物学，特别是新陈代谢的理解，让基内斯伯格博士研究某些脂肪如何影响能量周转；普里尼尔库尼尔博士研究氨基酸在心脏新陈代谢中的作用；布伦特博士研究血红素代谢如何影响肌肉功能。布伦特博士还将利用这种设备进行纳米粒子研究，以设计新的动物新陈代谢分子传感器。内置的加热和麻醉系统允许使用相同的动物进行扩展分析，不透光的端口使研究人员能够向动物注射化合物并实时监测新陈代谢的变化。除了推进申请者的研究项目，这种多模式小动物成像仪还将改善Kienesberger、Pulinilkunnil和Brunt博士提供的培训环境，并将提高本科生和研究生、博士后和技术人员的竞争力，他们将在高级研究技术员的指导下学习如何使用设备。由于这种设备目前在加拿大大西洋地区尚未推出，它将满足体内成像的需求，以促进我们对新陈代谢和动物生物学的了解，使Kienesberger、Pulinilkunnil和Brunt博士能够加强加拿大的动物新陈代谢研究。

This request is for a versatile small animal imaging system that will enhance the international competitiveness of the NSERC-funded research programs of Drs. Kienesberger, Pulinilkunnil, and Brunt, Dalhousie University faculty members who share an open access lab in the new basic research facility on the Dalhousie University Saint John, New Brunswick campus. This imaging system is unique as it offers four high-sensitivity imaging modalities - luminescence, fluorescence, radioisotopic, and X-ray - in a single unit, thereby providing flexibility in experimental designs. Due to these attributes, this equipment will advance not only the research of Drs. Kienesberger, Pulinilkunnil, and Brunt but also their collaborators and other investigators in the region. The imager will be utilized to improve our understanding of animal biology, specifically metabolism, by allowing Dr. Kienesberger to study how certain fats influence energy turnover; Dr. Pulinilkunnil to examine the role of amino acids in heart metabolism; and Dr. Brunt to investigate how heme metabolism influences muscle function. Dr. Brunt will also utilize this equipment for his nanoparticle research to design new molecular sensors of animal metabolism. Inbuilt heating and anaesthesia systems allow for extended analyses using the same animal and light-tight ports enable investigators to inject animals with compounds and monitor changes in metabolism in real time. Besides advancing the applicants' research programs, this multimodal small animal imager will also enhance the training environment provided by Drs. Kienesberger, Pulinilkunnil, and Brunt and will lead to increased competitiveness of undergraduate and graduate students, post-docs and technician personnel who will learn how to utilize the equipment under the guidance of a senior research technician. Since this equipment is currently not available in Atlantic Canada it will fill a need for in vivo imaging to advance our understanding of metabolism and animal biology, allowing Drs. Kienesberger, Pulinilkunnil, and Brunt to strengthen animal metabolism research in Canada.