Ultrasound System for Evaluation of Cardiovascular Phenotype in Animal Models

描述（由申请人提供）：本申请请求支持购买VisualSonics Vevo 770高分辨率超声系统，该系统将用于人类常见心血管疾病实验动物模型中心血管系统的结构和功能分析。它将被安置在华盛顿大学心血管研究中心的小鼠心血管表型核心设施中并进行操作。这种专用的体内微成像仪将取代现有的临床超声系统，该系统是通过共享仪器拨款机制购买的，已经运行了近10年。在很大程度上，由于目前心脏超声系统的可用性，心血管表型核心已经发展成为一个非常成功的大容量设施，每年进行近2000次超声心动图研究。它已经为来自华盛顿大学多个部门和学校以及全国范围内各种学科的二十多名研究人员提供服务。事实上，用户的工作取决于高质量超声心动图分析的可用性。由于核心用户研究项目的质量和成功，多年来超声心动图研究的数量和复杂性稳步上升，以至于现有的完全摊销系统已经不能及时有效地充分满足用户群的需求和科学需求。VisualSonics Vevo 770是一种高度通用的超声系统，能够为研究人员提供可视化和量化小动物解剖目标、血流动力学和治疗干预的能力，分辨率低至30微米。其最先进的技术特点是独特适用于心血管表型的基因操纵小鼠。获得新的超声系统将为核心用户在完成其NIH资助项目的科学目标方面提供直接的好处。生物医学研究的最新进展彻底改变了我们对人类疾病的基本认识。人类基因组计划为开发针对常见疾病的突破性治疗方法带来了巨大的希望，只有当我们能够理解基因功能的变化是如何通过它们的产物导致细胞和器官功能的改变，以及这些变化是如何导致疾病的，这个希望才能实现。在动物（主要是小鼠）中使用复杂的分子遗传技术，使科学家能够研究单个基因的扰动对整个器官（包括心脏和脉管系统）功能的影响。最先进的成像设备，如所要求的超声机，将在这一发现过程中发挥关键作用。心脏超声是唯一适合满足这些实验的多样化需求，并已被证明是在心血管疾病小鼠模型中评估心脏和血管结构和功能的关键资产。我们的实验室一直处于这些发展的前沿，所需设备的获得将有助于确保近30名NIH资助的研究人员的研究项目的持续成功。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal requests support for the purchase of a VisualSonics Vevo 770 High-Resolution Ultrasound System, which will be used for structural and functional analysis of the cardiovascular system in experimental animal models of common human cardiovascular diseases. It will be housed and operated in the Mouse Cardiovascular Phenotyping Core Facility of the Center for Cardiovascular Research at Washington University. This dedicated in vivo micro-imager will replace an existing clinical ultrasound system, which was purchased through the Shared Instrumentation Grant mechanism and has been in operation for nearly 10 years. Due, in large part, to the availability of the current cardiac ultrasound system, the Cardiovascular Phenotyping Core has evolved to a highly successful, large volume facility, performing nearly 2,000 echocardiographic studies annually. It has served over two dozen researchers from a wide variety of disciplines across multiple departments and schools at Washington University, as well as nationwide. Indeed, the users' work depends on the availability of high quality echocardiographic analysis. As a result of the quality and success of the research projects of the Core users, there has been a steady rise in the volume and complexity of the echocardiographic studies over the years to the point that the existing fully amortized system can no longer adequately satisfy the demands and scientific needs of the User Group on a timely and efficient basis. The VisualSonics Vevo 770 is a highly versatile ultrasound system capable of providing researchers with the ability to visualize and quantify small animal anatomical targets, hemodynamics, and therapeutic interventions with resolution down to 30 microns. Its state-of-the-art technical features are uniquely suited for cardiovascular phenotyping in genetically manipulated mice. Acquisition of the new ultrasound system will provide immediate benefit to the Core users in accomplishing the scientific goals of their NIH funded projects. RELEVANCE Recent advances in biomedical research have revolutionized our basic understanding of human diseases. The human genome project holds great promise in developing breakthrough treatments for common illnesses, a promise that can only be fulfilled if we can understand how changes in the function of genes through their products lead to altered cellular and organ function, and how these changes cause disease. The use of sophisticated molecular genetic techniques in animals (mainly mice), allows the scientist to study the effect of perturbation of a single gene on the function of a whole organ, including the heart and the vasculature. State-of-the-art imaging equipment, such as the requested ultrasound machine, will play a critical role in this process of discovery. Cardiac ultrasound is uniquely suited to satisfy the diverse needs of these experiments, and has proven to be a critical asset in the evaluation of the structure and function of the heart and blood vessels in mouse models of cardiovascular disease. Our laboratory has been at the forefront of these developments and acquisition of the requested equipment will help ensure continued success of the research projects of nearly 30 NIH funded investigators.