Small Animal Imaging Shared Resource (SAISR)

SMALL ANIMAL IMAGING SHARED RESOURCE (SAISR) ABSTRACT The UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) Small Animal Imaging Shared Resource (SAISR), directed by Arion Chatziioannou, PhD (CMINT) and co-directed by Shili Xu, PhD, provides instrumentation, training, data analysis and interpretation, and expert support for the design and execution of imaging studies conducted by JCCC investigators. Major technologies and services in SAISR include micro-positron emission tomography (micro-PET, invented at SAISR), micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), optical imaging (bioluminescence, fluorescence, and Cerenkov), autoradiography imaging, and routine production of small molecule radiochemistry and peptide/protein radiolabeling to support PET imaging. The overall SAISR objective of supporting JCCC investigators’ research is achieved through three Specific Aims. Aim 1: To provide expertise and support state-of-the-art small animal imaging technologies; Aim 2: To provide expertise and radiochemistry and radiolabeling production services; and Aim 3: To provide JCCC investigators with training in radiochemistry, preclinical imaging, and image analysis, and to provide support in the design and execution of imaging studies. SAISR leaders discuss the health of SAISR, JCCC investigator usage, user satisfaction, and resource needs at bi-monthly SAISR meetings and monthly Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC) meetings, and report to the JCCC Associate Director for Shared Resources Zoran Galic, PhD (TII) during JCCC Shared Resource Directors monthly meetings. JCCC member research projects receive priority service from SAISR by policy. Examples of SAISR impact in the current funded period include support for Steven Dubinett, MD (CMINT/TII) and David Shackelford, PhD (STT) in developing a non-invasive PET imaging method to measure mitochondrial membrane potential in vivo in a preclinical model of non-small cell lung cancer (Momcilovic et al., Nature. 2019; PMC7328016) and subsequently applying this method to spatially map mitochondrial networks and bioenergetics in lung cancer (Han et al., Nature. 2023; PMC10033418). Additionally, a new MRI machine supported the development of 18F-labeled brain-penetrant EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors for PET imaging of glioblastoma by David Nathanson, PhD (CMINT) and Jennifer Murphy, PhD (CMINT) (Narayanam et al., Chem Sci. 2023; PMC10699577). SAISR standard charge back rates are comparable to nationwide averages and its subsidized rates for JCCC researchers are 30-53% lower. From 2019 – 2023, SAISR supported projects from 47 unique JCCC investigators, with 86% of JCCC member usage by peer-review funded investigators. JCCC investigator usage was 78% of overall SAISR utilization. SAISR support helped enable 112 cancer publications by JCCC members with 52% in high impact (IF ≥10) journals. In the next project period, SAISR will add a new Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging system to its current multimodal imaging platform to meet the needs of developing new agents for JCCC cancer theranostics research and for multi-isotope molecular imaging strategies.