FLUORESCENCE MOLECULAR TOMOGRAPHY SYSTEM

 描述(由申请人提供)：我们正在申请资金，以获得PerkinElmer的荧光分子断层扫描(FMT)系统。分子成像核心(MIC)是大学范围内著名的核心设施，它将容纳该仪器，并向当前和未来的用户提供它。FMT通过使用可从635 nm到790 nm激发的靶向或已有的荧光分子探针来测量活体疾病动物模型中深部器官的荧光信号。位于圣路易斯的华盛顿大学(WUSTL)和周围的研究界无法使用FMT系统，该系统提供易于使用的界面，并执行具有在多个通道中检测荧光的能力的不同波长成像。FMT系统将支持30多个由美国国立卫生研究院资助的项目，最初包括来自WUSTL和圣路易斯大学(SLU)的5个主要用户和19个次要用户。所有的研究人员都发表了大量的分子成像工作，并证明了FMT的持续需求。所有这些研究工作都涉及对深层组织疾病的成像以及在活体动物模型中了解此类疾病的分子机制。建议的系统已经对各种疾病的非侵入性体内成像研究进行了基准测试，例如癌症、哮喘、动脉粥样硬化、骨骼和骨骼疾病、炎症和传染病。研究结果将推动新一代诊断造影剂的开发，揭示这种疾病的复杂分子生物学，并在临床前模型中评估癌症治疗的疗效。在这方面，FMT能够报告活体动物深层组织中的动态或空间事件，同时将仪器伪影降至最低，这将是对核心中提供的其他显微镜和光谱测量的不可或缺的补充。该系统促进了MR、CT、SPECT和PET成像模式与FMT数据集之间的快速和轻松的联合配准。拟议的系统将加强MIC提供的生物过程分子成像服务，并促进圣路易斯许多不断发展的研究小组的研究。它将促进新的合作和产生新的概念，以促进我们在体内水平上对复杂生物系统的理解。由于MIC位于医疗中心的中心位置，该系统将向所有当前和未来的用户开放，就像目前安装在MIC中的其他仪器一样。经验丰富的人员将管理仪器，培训新用户，并帮助实施新项目。该仪器靠近WUSTL、SLU和其他圣路易斯研究机构的研究实验室，将吸引新用户，并促进使用最先进技术平台的学生和研究员的培训。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We are requesting funding to obtain a fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) system from PerkinElmer. The Molecular Imaging Core (MIC), a well-known university-wide core facility, will house the instrument and make it available to its current and future users. FMT measures fluorescence signals from deep organs in live disease animal models by employing targeted or already available fluorescence molecular probes that can be excited from 635 nm to 790 nm. Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) and surrounding research community do not have access to a FMT system that provides easy-to-use interface and performs diverse wavelength imaging with the capability of detecting fluorescence in multiple channels. The FMT system will support 30+ NIH-funded projects, initially consisting of 5 major and 19 minor users from WUSTL and Saint Louis University (SLU). All the investigators have substantially published work in molecular imaging and demonstrable ongoing need for FMT. All these research works involve imaging diseases in deep tissues and understanding molecular mechanism of such diseases in live animal models. The proposed system has benchmarked non-invasive in vivo imaging studies in a variety of diseases, such as cancer, asthma, atherosclerosis, bone and skeletal disease, inflammation, and infectious diseases. The result of the studies will drive the development of a new generation of contrast agents for diagnostics, uncover complex molecular biology of the disease, and assess the efficacy of cancer treatments in preclinical models. In this regard, the ability of FMT to report dynamic or spatial events in deep tissues of live animals while minimizing instrument artifacts will serve as an indispensable complement to other microscopy and spectroscopy measurements available in the core. The system facilitates rapid and easy co-registration between MR, CT, SPECT, and PET imaging modalities and FMT data sets. The proposed system will enhance the services available in MIC for molecular imaging of biological processes and advance the research of many growing research groups at St. Louis. It will facilitate new collaborations and generate new concepts to advance our understanding of complex biological systems at in vivo level. Because of MIC's location in the heart of the medical center, the system will be available to all current and future users, as is the current practice with other instrument housed in MIC. Highly experienced personnel will manage the instrument, train new users, and help conduct new projects. The proximity of the instrument to research laboratories at WUSTL, SLU, and other St. Louis based research institution will attract new user and facilitate training o students and fellows using the state-of-the-art technology platform.