This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Shared Instrumentation Grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the grant, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this proposal is to secure funding to add a multispectral in vivo fluorescence imaging system to the Center for Molecular and Genomic Imaging, a core facility at UC Davis that provides the infrastructure and expertise to conduct in vivo imaging studies in animal models. We propose to purchase a Maestro 2 system (CRi Inc, Woburn, MA) that has a liquid crystal tunable filter and multispectral imaging capabilities and that allows for fluorescence imaging across a broad range of wavelengths. The system also has special capabilities for spectrally modeling and correcting for tissue autofluorescence, thus enhancing SNR significantly for signal detection at depth, and the ability to image multiple fluorophores simultaneously. The dynamic contrast enhancement (DyCE) methodology allows major organs to be visualized aiding in signal localization and interpretation. The system will be placed in our core facility and used to support NIH-funded research in diverse areas such as cancer, vascular disease, liver disease, cellular therapies and wound healing, and will also be used to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of a range of new diagnostic and therapeutic agents under development by UC Davis faculty.
The field of molecular imaging seeks to discover new approaches to imaging specific biologic targets and pathways in vivo, with the ultimate goal of providing patient-specific and molecularly-based diagnostic information. In addition molecular imaging approaches are being developed to directly monitor molecularly- targeted therapies, cellular therapies and gene therapies. In vivo fluorescence imaging is a critical preclinical imaging modality that allows the distribution and kinetics of fluorescently-tagged biomolecules, nanoparticles and cells to be monitored non-invasively and thus provides a powerful platform for non-invasively determining the efficacy of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in preclinical models prior to translation to the clinic.
