Comparative and Veterinary Specialty Section

Rodent Imaging Overview for the Toxicologist- Chairperson(s): Kathleen Gabrielson, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD and Robert Maronpot, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC

Endorsed by:
Comparative and Veterinary Specialty Section*
Drug Discovery Specialty Section
Mechanisms Specialty Section
Toxicologic & Exploratory Pathology Specialty Section

Toxicologic & Exploratory Pathology Specialty SectionIn the last decade, in vivo imaging methods have become established tools in basic science research. This course is designed to provide a general overview of imaging modalities utilized in basic science with applications to drug discovery and toxicological research. This review will focus on five imaging modalities including: MR, PET, SPECT, optical and ultrasound. Each speaker will give a basic overview of the modality and present specific examples relevant to drug discovery and toxicological research. In this review, several applications of MRI, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance in oncology, cardiovascular disease and morphological phenotyping during toxicological studies will be described. PET and SPECT imaging of radioactively labeled compounds will be reviewed in the setting of drug discovery and toxicological research. The application of the multi-modality imaging scanners will also be discussed. These multi-modalities studies provide comprehensive evaluation that enables the toxicologist to study structure, function, in tandem with distribution and metabolism of radioactively labeled drugs. PET imaging of gene expression during pharmacology studies will be reviewed. Optical imaging will be reviewed in the context of imaging gene expression in transgenic mice engineered with gene promoters from enzymes (CYP1A2 or CYP3A4) driving luciferase expression. Signal transduction pathway discovery in toxicological research will be discussed using optical imaging in transgenic mice with a Smad-responsive luciferase reporter. Ultrasound imaging will be overviewed using applications of toxicity and drug discovery in cardiovascular and cancer mouse models. Following completion of this workshop, attendees should have basic understanding of the various imaging modalities and applications to drug discovery and toxicological research.

Overview: Applicability/Feasibility of Rodent Imaging for the Toxicologist
Kathleen Gabrielson, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Robert Maronpot, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC

Positron Emission Tomography and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography
Benjamin Tsui, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Optical Imaging
Pamela Contag, Xenogen Corporation, Alameda, CA

Ultrasound Imaging
Kathleen Gabrielson, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

*Primary Specialty Section Endorser