Positron emission tomography-guided focused ultrasound platform for experimental molecule delivery

超声作为一种诊断工具被广泛使用，但成像并不是它唯一的应用。由超声波引起的周期性压力振荡产生热效应和机械效应，可用于消融或分子输送。这些新的研究领域，特别是分子传递，需要许多发展才能达到成熟。因此，生命科学界对这种工具非常感兴趣，因为它将允许分子传递的可重复和可控方法。我打算参与这个项目的合作伙伴FUS Instruments有一个商业产品，用于暴露小动物模型，用于血脑屏障破坏和分子传递研究。他们目前的系统是由磁共振图像引导的，他们目前需要增加成像模式，他们可以用于指导；特别是，包括小动物正电子发射断层扫描（微型pet），这是他们的大部分潜在客户使用的。PET将为该平台提供高灵敏度的功能成像模式，并将增强其平台可进行的研究。工业合作伙伴需要增加其产品的市场，由于在桑德贝现有的临床前平台的访问和经验，我可以提供微型pet和聚焦超声设备的补充专业知识，以生产一个原型平台，将包括他们的技术的新用户。由此产生的产品将提供FUS仪器在市场上的竞争优势，并将使他们的

Ultrasound is widely used as a diagnostic tool today, but imaging is not its only application. The periodic pressure oscillations that are caused by the ultrasound wave produce thermal and mechanical effects that can be used for ablation or molecule delivery. These novel areas of research, particularly molecule delivery, need many developments to reach maturity. There is therefore considerable interest in the life sciences community for this kind of tool that will allow for repeatable and controllable methods for molecule delivery. FUS Instruments, the partner that I intend to engage in this project, has a commercial product designed for the exposure of small animal models for blood brain barrier disruption and molecule delivery studies. Their current system is guided by magnetic resonance images and they have a current need to increasing the imaging modalities they can use for guidance; in particular, to include small animal positron emission tomography (micro-PET) which is used by a large part of their potential clients. PET will give a highly-sensitive functional imaging mode to the platform and will enhance the studies that can be conducted with their platform. The industrial partner requires to increase the market of their products, and thanks to the access and experience on available pre-clinical platforms in Thunder Bay, I can provide the complementary expertise on micro-PET and focused ultrasound devices to produce a prototype platform that will include new users of their technology. The resulting product will provide FUS Instruments with a competitive edge in the market and will make their