The Chemistry and PET Imaging Core will use the resources of two technical centers in the UCLA PET program: the Molecular Imaging Probe Production and the PET Imaging Instrumentation. The Molecular Imaging Probe Production Technical Center is responsible for the production of all the radiopharmaceuticals for the project included in this application. A wide range of products labeled with O-15, N-13, C-11 and F-18 are routinely synthesized, purified and provided to various investigators under a variety of different protocols. This Technical Center continually explores new radioisotope production techniques, new precursor syntheses and new radiolabeled reagents. It also focuses its activities in improvement of the radiochemical yields of established methods, new automated radiosynthesis modules and ways to reduce personal radiation exposures. For this Program Project grant the Technical Center will provide [18F]FDG, [18F]FDDNP and [18F]MPPF. The PET Imaging Instrumentation Core provides and supports the imaging instruments used by all Program investigators. It ensures that all instruments are maintained and kept in good running order and performs the periodic daily/monthly quality contol. It also educates investigators about the capabilities and limitations of the instruments and assists them in planning and executing their experiments. It ensures the quantitative accuracy of their measurements (wherever applicable) and in collaboration with the Computation and Modeling Tech Center (Image Analysis Core: Sung Cheng Huang, Core Leader) guides investigators in their data interpretation. In addition it ensures the proper data archival and storage, as well as compliance of investigators with all local, state and federal regulations governing molecular imaging research with animals and humans. This Core will provide and maintain the necessary tomographic and ancillary equipment and resources to perform human PET and microPET scans proposed in this grant application; perform periodic quality controls; implement and maintain detailed logs of all the operations; coordinate, schedule and optimize the use of all the tomographs and ancillary equipment (i.e. gamma counters) necessary in this application with the cyclotron production of short-lived molecular imaging probes; maintain and upgrade tomographic equipment and computer systems for data collection, image reconstruction and transfer; assist investigators in planning and performing studies with the imaging systems, including compliance with all local, state and federal regulations to conduct biological imaging research with animals and humans.
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