The UCLA Imaging Resource for Mouse Cancer Models

描述（由申请人提供）：UCLA拥有成熟的小动物成像项目，该项目基于微型正电子发射断层扫描、X射线微型计算机断层扫描、体内生物发光和数字全身放射自显影成像。该计划的核心是我们的小动物成像资源（SAIR），该资源通过最先进的设施为超过24名独立的主要研究者提供服务和支持，这些研究者由NIH和其他机构资助。这些研究人员的大多数研究项目都集中在癌症诊断和治疗方面。除了这项服务之外，SAIR在加州大学洛杉矶分校和美国环境中的作用是：（a）在成像的工具、技术和应用方面对加州大学洛杉矶分校内外的学生、博士后学者、医生和其他生物学研究人员进行教育，以及（B）促进合作并开发新的技术和方法，以提高非侵入性成像的定量能力。这些目标将有望导致更好地了解人类疾病，并可能导致更好的诊断和治疗癌症的方法。作为SAIR建议的一部分，除了研究支持和教育外，还包括两个发展项目，这两个项目应提高所获得数据的质量和定量准确性，同时减少辐射照射对研究对象的影响。第一个项目将寻求在手术之前、期间和之后标准化成像方案的动物处理和护理部分，以便动物的反应尽可能一致。第二个项目旨在首先估计，其次优化和第三跟踪辐射照射的动物科目在整个序列的多个成像实验，可以持续几个月。这两个项目将大大有利于不仅通过加州大学洛杉矶分校SAIR进行的研究实验，但在美国的所有临床前研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): UCLA has a mature small animal imaging program based on micro-positron emission tomography, x-ray micro computed tomography, in-vivo bioluminescence and digital whole body autoradiography imaging. Central to this program, is our small animal imaging resource (SAIR), which provides service and support through a state of the art facility to more than 24 independent Principal Investigators funded through the NIH and other agencies. Most of the research projects of these investigators are focused in cancer diagnosis and therapy. In addition to this service component, the roles of the SAIR within the UCLA and the US environments are to: (a) educate students, post-doctoral scholars, physicians and other biology researchers from within and outside UCLA in the tools, technologies and applications of imaging, and (b) foster collaborations and develop new technologies and methodologies that will improve the quantitative capabilities of non-invasive imaging. These goals will hopefully lead to better understanding of human disease and might lead to better methods for diagnosis and treatment of cancer. As part of this SAIR proposal, besides the research support and education, two developmental projects are included, that should improve the quality and quantitative accuracy of the acquired data, while they reduce the impact from radiation exposure on the studied subjects. The first project will seek to standardize the animal handling and care part of the imaging protocol prior to, during and after the procedure, such that the animal's response is as uniform as possible. The second project seeks to estimate at first, secondly optimize and thirdly track the radiation exposure to the animal subjects throughout sequences of multiple imaging experiments that can last several months. Both these projects will greatly benefit not only the research experiments carried through the UCLA SAIR, but all preclinical research in the US.