IMB Seminar: The preclinical PET core facility. Friday, January 29th 2021 at 1115- 1200

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The preclinical PET core facility

By

Rune Sundset, Head of preclinical PET core facility

Abstract

The preclinical PET core facility (PETcore) provides access to cutting edge molecular imaging equipment for small animals enabling research translation from in vitro assays to preclinical imaging studies and the clinic. The existence of preclinical imaging machines dedicated exclusively to research and the completely unique location of these machines inside the animal barrier in our centre opens the possibility of new lines of research for University Hospital of North Norway (UNN) and UiT-Arctic University of Norway (UiT).

PETcore is affiliated to the Institute of Clinical Medicine at the Faculty of Health Sciences in UiT, as well as at the Tromsø PET imaging center at UNN.

Molecular imaging technologies have become essential in the development of novel radiopharmaceuticals. Furthermore, preclinical nuclear imaging has heavily influenced areas of basic research, providing information about disease progression and opening up possibilities for diagnosis, early detection of diseased processes and therapeutic responses.

The advantages of preclinical molecular imaging are multiple; the major one is the possibility of repeated longitudinal imaging in the same subject, hence, reducing the number of animals needed for research. It also provides quantitative data, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic curves.

Mission

Bringing together the latest technology in preclinical nuclear systems with a specialized staff, PETcore aims to provide researchers with opportunities for in vivo qualitative and quantitative small animal imaging. In addition, we focus on developing and optimizing molecular imaging protocols, thus contributing in advances to this discipline. Our translational scope is to bridge the gap between in vitro biomedical research, in vivo imaging and clinical research.