The objectives of the pilot program project are tp 1) provide seed funding for novel and creative research projects, 2) spark the interest of individual faculty members and promote interdisciplinary and inter-institutional research programs, and 3) provide a mechanism fore the distribution of funds based on merit and overall direction of the Center. Availability of this funding mechanism is expected to have a significant impact in developing novel technologies, advancing research tools to clinical practice and discovering important aspects of tumor biology through in vivo imaging. A total of four pilot projects will be funded per year through a one time award. Priority will be given to proposal which 1) are interdisciplinary and involve a synthesis in molecular/cellular and imaging sciences and 2) employ innovative concepts. To encourage submission of as many as proposals as possible, the format will be designed to keep the replication procedure to a minimum, while still being able to evaluate the merit of the application. External researchers will be assigned a CMR faculty to carry out the proposed research. Special emphasis will also be placed on optimal utilization of existing CMR resources. The four pilot projects in year 01 of funding address fundamental issues molecular imaging. The first project will utilize a previously developed technique for quantitating viral distribution during gene therapy to CNS malignancy. The second pilot projects will use site directed mutagenesis to search for more efficient novel internalizing receptor systems as MR marker genes. The third pilot project will design, build and validate a novel diffuse optical tomography system for mice. The fourth pilot project investigate avenues to direct """"""""smart"""""""" imaging probes to different intracellular compartment for improved sensing avenues to direct """"""""smart"""""""" imaging probes to different intracellular compartments for improved sensing. Together, thee highly novel pilot projects are expected to further the filed of in vitro molecular imaging.
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