C2. MOLECULAR IMAGING SPECIALIZED RESOURCE CORE (MISR) (Core #3) C2.2.1. Introduction: The purpose of the MISR is to support the in vivo molecular imaging requirements for the proposed NSBCC research and for additional molecular imaging projects across the rest of the UCLA biomedical community. The Molecular Imaging Core receives support from the Department of Energy (DoE), the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center Core Grant, two SPORE grants, the UCLA-NCI small animal molecular imaging (ICMIC), and several NCI specialized support awards, in addition to the proposed NSBCC. The Imaging Resource was started in 1990 as a DoE facility, with a dedicated animal research tomograph (Siemens, ACAT). The imaging equipment has been periodically updated with the latest imaging technology and techniques. In 1997, the first dedicated small animal microPET system developed at UCLA by Cherry et al. was put into routine use, followed by commercial versions from CTI Concorde Microsystems, the P4 microPET in 1999 and the Focus microPET in 2003. As overall imaging demand grew, a whole body digital autoradiography system (WBDA), a microCAT instrument and three optical imaging systems were added;two of which have both bioluminescent and fluorescent optical imaging capabilities. Since inception, over 13,000 microPET imaging experiments have been successfully conducted. In 2003, the combined number of optical, microPET, microCAT and WBDA procedures exceeded 8000 experiments. The MISR is essential for the work proposed in Project 3, but it indirectly supports (through ICMIC funding) work described in Projects 2 and 4. Project 2 utilizes microPET imaging systems for mouse models of cancer. Image and data analysis will be handled by the Quantitative Analysis Core (Core 4). However, all the Specialized Resources are coordinated (radioisotopes prepared in the Cyclotron and Radiochemistry Core used for experimental studies in the MISR, data storage, interpretation and retrieval facilitated by the Quantitative Analysis Core) by a committee called the Resource Allocation Committee (RAC) that has been in place for 20 years and is chaired by Dr. Phelps, one of the overall Co-Pis of NSBCC. The MISR and the Quantitative Analysis Cores are highly inter-linked in their day-to-day activities to ensure that data are collected, processed and interpreted appropriately. The following table summarizes the projected needs of each NSBCC project for in vivo molecular imaging, based on the proposed Projects. As new developmental projects and researchers enter the NSBCC, their needs will be incorporated into the operations of the facility. This core has more than enough capacity to meet the needs of NSBCC as proposed, as well as any reasonable expansion.
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