Washington University Molecular Imaging Center

描述(申请人提供)：突破性的分子成像研究可视化了活体细胞和整个生物体中的基因表达、生化反应、信号转导和调控途径。华盛顿大学分子成像中心在癌症成像信号转导和治疗的主题下，利用新技术和探针与基因编码的记者相结合，将主要工作引导到基础、翻译和临床研究，以精确定位目标细胞内的分子事件。华盛顿大学分子成像中心的活动刺激了合作、跨学科研究项目的激增，这些项目为分子成像领域令人兴奋的新方向奠定了基础。一支敬业的研究团队展示了他们在自己学科之外的非凡合作记录，导致人们对应用新的基因编码报告策略的兴趣不断上升，这种策略允许在基础研究以及诊断和预后临床应用中体内癌症的分子特征。特别是，这导致了研究生物体内受调控的信号转导和蛋白质处理的一个主要主题。主要研究项目涉及癌症中Notch信号的成像，调查代谢应激和检查点控制作为抗癌治疗的目标，在双转基因报告鼠中调查炎症和病毒诱导的致瘤性的相互作用，以及在接受骨髓移植的患者的临床研究中监测供体淋巴细胞表观遗传调节期间转基因细胞与PET的运输。该计划还包括三个分子成像科学资源：分子成像报告核心、化学核心和高通量筛选机器人核心，建立在分子成像平台上，用于读出广泛的生物分析，包括siRNA文库筛选和化学遗传学。我们的分子成像中心还为新的研究人员提供试点项目计划，并为学生、博士后和研究员提供多学科培训计划。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Ground-breaking molecular imaging studies have visualized gene expression, biochemical reactions, signal transduction and regulatory pathways in living cells and whole organisms in vivo. The Washington University Molecular Imaging Center directs major efforts into fundamental, translational and clinical research under the theme of imaging signal transduction and therapeutics in cancer using novel techniques and probes in combination with genetically-encoded reporters to pinpoint molecular events within target cells. The Washington University Molecular Imaging Center activities have spurred an explosion of collaborative, interdisciplinary research projects that have formed the foundation for exciting new directions in molecular imaging. A dedicated team of investigators have demonstrated an exceptional record of collaboration outside their own disciplines leading to an escalating interest in applying novel genetically- encoded reporter strategies that allow the molecular characterization of cancer in vivo for basic research as well as diagnostic and prognostic clinical applications. In particular, this has lead to a major theme to study regulated signal transduction and protein processing in living organisms. The principal research projects address imaging of Notch signaling in cancer, investigate metabolic stress and checkpoint controls as targets for anticancer therapy, investigate the interaction of inflammation and viral-induced tumorigenicity in doubly transgenic reporter mice, and monitor trafficking of genetically-modified cells with PET during epigenetic modulation of donor lymphocytes in a clinical study of patients undergoing bone marrow transplant. The program also includes three molecular imaging scientific resources: the molecular imaging reporter core, chemistry core and high throughput screening robotics core, founded on molecular imaging platforms for readout of a wide range of bio-assays, including siRNA library screens, and chemical genetics. Our Molecular Imaging Center also provides a pilot project program for new investigators and a multidisciplinary training program for students, post-docs, and fellows.