The Animal Models and Pathology Specialized Resource (Core D) of the Emory Molecular and Translational Imaging Center (EMTIC) will assist the overall project by providing service in two critical areas: animal models and histopathologic services. The Core is necessary for the success of the EMTIC and is highly integrative, being utilized by all four research projects and all five pilot projects. The animal models component will act to generate and characterize novel rodent models for molecular imaging in cancer research and will assist the individual projects by collecting and analyzing tumor data from these animals. The production and analysis of relevant animal models of cancer is central to the EMTIC because of the heavy emphasis on the development and validation of novel tracers in preclinical studies that could be utilized as markers for tumor detection, progression, and dissemination in vivo. The animal component will also serve as a repository for the preservation and distribution of any novel transgenic strains of mice that may be utilized in the Research Projects and Pilot Projects as they become necessary. The Core will perform necropsy and tissue collection for experimental animals, and will collect tumor samples from selected animals for generation of cell lines for use by EMTIC investigators. The pathology component of the Core will provide tissue and tumor procurement expertise, tissue processing, as well as histological and immunohistochemical analysis of tumor samples from human disease and animal models. Histologic and immunohistochemical evaluation of tumors from patients and animal models will be necessary in order to correlate and validate the detection of novel tracers by PET, MRI and optical methods with the targeted biomarkers in tissues. Thus the Animal Models and Pathology Core will contribute significantly to the overall goals of the EMTIC from a scientific perspective by providing these services as well as expertise. In addition, the inclusion of these services into a comprehensive core component will provide additional benefit to EMTIC as a whole, through consolidation of effort, avoidance of unnecessary experimental duplication, and by drawing upon the collective expertise of the Core personnel.
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