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URL: http://www.molecularimaging.vcu.edu/

Proper Citation: Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Center for Molecular Imaging (RRID:SCR_006869)

Description: The Center for Molecular Imaging integrates molecular imaging and molecular medicine with systems biology approaches to understand disease complexity, promising to provide predictive, preventative and personalized medicine that will transform health care. The multi-modality molecular imaging program is composed of individual but overlapping research themes with specific projects under each theme. As all projects are underpinned by methodology development in the chemistry, biology, physics and bioengineering of imaging, there is always a strong overlap and cross feed in terms of methods and assays. The research themes include: * Biomarker pharmacodynamic imaging of metabolism, proliferation, cell death and vascular perfusion * Molecular genetic imaging in developing multi-modal reporter gene-based probes * Molecular imaging of angiogenesis and its relation to tumor hypoxia * Multi-modal nanoparticle probes for drug delivery and molecular imaging, including cell and immune-based therapies * Radiolabeled drug pharmacokinetics and studies of drug discovery and structural biology using molecular imaging strategies * Development of nanotechnology molecular imaging systems * Imaging proteomic mass spectrometry * Molecular imaging and molecular pathology diagnostic research The Center for Molecular Imaging fosters collaborative research, bringing together the advances being made in technology-driven research such as bioengineering, chemical genomics and nanotechnology with biomedical research groups studying cell and molecular biology and radiobiology, biologically targeted therapeutics, immuno-based mechanisms, and drug and biomarker discovery. The aim is to develop and validate multi-modality molecular imaging tools that will facilitate the advancement of translational medicine and clinical science research in oncology and neuroscience as well as other clinical research areas. The center is equipped with laboratories for radiochemistry, analytical chemistry, molecular biology, nanotechnology and animal imaging, as well as a dedicated facility for translational clinical imaging. Imaging technologies within the center include Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (preclinical and clinical), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography, optical imaging, autoradiography and multi-modality nanotechnology imaging. Molecular probe developments underpin the biological and biomedical research conducted using the above modalities.

Synonyms: VCU CMI

Resource Type: data or information resource, degree granting program, medical school program resource, training resource, portal, organization portal, job resource

Keywords: analytical chemistry, a ngiogenesis, animal, autoradiography, bioengineering, biology, biomedical, chemical genomics, chemistry, disease, medicine, metabolism, molecular biology, nanotechnology, neuroscience, oncology, optical imaging, pathology, pharmacokinetic, physics, positron emission tomography, proteomic mass spectrometry, radiobiology, radiochemistry, single photon emission computed tomography, translational