The Molecular Imaging Core was funded in 2003 as a developmental shared resource, and rapidly fulfilled a critical need of CCC members for preclinical imaging studies. Therefore, the CCC leadership now proposes to elevate this shared resource to full status as a shared facility in the renewal application. The small animal imaging resource has the goal to support molecular imaging applications for cancer, including early detection of cancer and therapy evaluation. The facility will provide detailed imaging evaluation of new cancer treatments, and thereby accelerate their translation to human trials.
The specific aims are the following: (1) To provide state-of-the-art molecular imaging for preclinical studies in small animals, (2) To provide training to Cancer Center members in the applications of molecular imaging in cancer models, (3) To establish methods for image analyses (in collaboration with the Biostatistics & Bioinformatics shared facility), (4) To maintain the instruments and keep them accurately calibrated, and (5) To develop new imaging technologies and acquire new instruments. The shared resource will coordinate existing support mechanisms for imaging at UAB, and significantly expand the imaging effort by supporting CCC projects that do not currently apply small animal imaging. Imaging components include structural and metabolic imaging (MRI/MRS, high frequency ultrasonography and microCT), gamma-ray imaging (gamma camera, microSPECT/CT), and optical imaging (bioluminescence and fluorescence). The shared resource has undertaken a multimodality imaging approach to provide a molecular understanding of cancer in animal models by integrating measurements of tumor mass (bioluminescence, ultrasound, CT, and MR), tumor specific targeting (SPECT, ultrasound, and fluorescence), vascular parameters (ultrasound, MR), and specific therapy responses (ultrasound, bioluminescence, SPECT, MRS). Each imaging modality has advantages and their coordinated application is synergistic. The shared resource meets a critical need in evaluation of new therapies for cancer in animal models, thereby enabling translation of the new therapies to human trials. The facility will enhance the potential of other CCC shared facilities (High Resolution Imaging, Mass Spec/Proteomics, Microarray Gene expression) by providing real-time imaging of molecular pathways in the living animal, enabling precise tissue sampling and microanalyses.
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