Over the last decade, medicine has undergone a profound and rapid change as a result of advances in cellular and molecular biology. Discoveries resulting from the sequencing of the human genome, advances in biotechnology and instrumentation, and a better understanding of tumor metabolism and physiology have contributed to this evolution as well. While we are rapidly approaching an understanding of the basic molecular Mechanisms of cancer, our ability to image this disease at its earliest of stages, differentiate cell characteristics in vivo, and rationally monitor the effects of new therapies remains an unrealized goal. Traditional anatomical imaging approaches in use today, such as radiography, CT and magnetic resonance imaging, play a fundamental role in clinical medicine, but do not provide the in vivo biochemical data needed to evaluate the metabolic and biochemical processes associated with cancer. Recent developments in magnetic resonance spectroscopy and positron emission tomography provide new dimensions to cancer imaging, offering unique ways to measure tumor biochemistry and the perturbations resulting from therapy. These technologies have not, however, realized their potential with respect to imaging the molecular basis of disease. This can only be achieved through integration of the advances made in several fields, including molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, physics, pharmacology, engineering and computer sciences. The University of Southern California and the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a application to design a molecular and cellular-based cancer Imaging Center. The concept of developing a U.S.C./Norris Cancer Imaging Center has attracted productive teams of scientists committed to its successful implementation. Renowned experts in basic science and medicine are committed to creating the collaborative relationships necessary to achieve the ultimate goal of this initiative, which is to improve the care of cancer patients through translation of advances in cancer research to the clinical setting. We envision that the introduction of this NCI sponsored Cancer Imaging Center will foster the integration of advances in biomedical imaging and basic science, leading to improvements in diagnosis and staging of cancer, guidance of therapy and monitoring of treatment by providing more useful and relevant physiological and biochemical information that is available today. The University and Norris Cancer Center are committed to development of the USC Cancer Imaging Center. As noted in the application, the Cancer Center is making a substantial financial commitment to the proposed Imaging Center, including partial funding of a Post-doctoral Research Fellow and matching pilot/project funding.
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