Operating under the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center (UWCCC), the Small Animal Imaging Facility (SAIF) provides innovative, cost effective, high-resolution imaging support to UWCCC members who utilize small animal models in their research. The Faculty Leader and Facility Manager provide guidance to investigators ensuring the imaging modality and experimental design are best suited to address their cancer question. Incorporating positron emission/computed tomography (PET/CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound (US), photoacoustics, and/or optical bioluminescence/fluorescence/near-infrared (NIR) imaging modalities, the SAIF affords access to all major small animal imaging modalities. Moreover, UWCCC investigators can select their desired level of service deliverables ranging from image acquisition, reconstruction, and interpretation to analysis, and/or presentation slide preparation. When necessary, commercial or proprietary imaging agents are acquired for investigators and their quality ensured prior to use. The SAIF holds umbrella animal use, biosafety, and radiation safety protocols thus assuring appropriate regulatory control of imaging studies while minimizing the regulatory burden placed on individual investigators. Located adjacent to similar clinical research scanners, the SAIF strives to design preclinical imaging assessment of new imaging agents with eventual clinical translation in mind. One such agent, CLR1404, underwent extensive preclinical evaluation within the SAIF prior to translating into 8 clinical imaging and radiotherapy trials. During the current CCSG funding cycle, the SAIF has provided critical imaging support to 65 unique UWCCC members representing all six UWCCC programs. We continue to assess new imaging and related technologies and, if suitable and relevant to the membership, develop a plan to bring such new technologies into the facility.
Our specific aims are to; 1) provide UWCCC members seamless access and guidance to the most advanced small animal cancer imaging technologies for essential preclinical assessment of new therapies; and 2) to provide preclinical discovery and development support for new molecular imaging and diapeutic agents. Funding provided from the CCSG is critical in supporting our mission to serve the UWCCC membership at the highest level possible while minimizing costs in a relatively expensive technology-centric field. We expect that our role in the development and evaluation of new imaging and therapy agents, especially those being developed by our own membership, as well as the assessment of new therapeutic agents via imaging, will ultimately permit personalized treatment planning and improve the quality of life and survival outcomes of cancer patients.
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