SAIL - Small Animal Imaging Lübeck
A central imaging facility dedicated to small animal imaging is currently being set up in the basement of the CBBM research building (Campus University of Lübeck / UKSH Lübeck).
It will include S2 (biosafety level 2) laboratories dedicated to the following imaging methods:
MPI Magnetic Particle Imaging
- Purpose: visualize magnetic nanoparticle tracers in blood vessels
- Animal size: rats and mice
- Status: installed
- System: Bruker
- Strengths: speed, sensitivity
Contact: Thomas Friedrich
MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Purpose: reference images for MPI studies, independent soft tissue studies
- Strengths: soft tissue contrast, access to diffusion, contrast agent distribution
Contact: Martin Koch
Nuclear Imaging
PET/CT - Positron Emission Tomography / Computed Tomography
- Purpose PET: visualize and quantify the spatial and temporal distribution of specific radiopharmaceuticals and other substances radiolabelled in situ.
- Purpose CT: visualize anatomy and morphological changes
- Strengths: „molecular imaging“, in vivo functional information, anatomy (CT)
Contact: Magdalena Rafecas, Steven Seeger
For further information please refer to the project website.
Optical Intravital Imaging
- Purpose: Intravital imaging at sub-cellular resolution (surface / mm-depth)
- Status: Several systems for optical coherence (OCT) and multi-photon microscopy are already working under S1/S2 conditions in the BMO and CBBM; RAMAN microscopy for molecular contrast and endoscopic devices are being developed
- Strengths: Sub-cellular resolution, specific staining as well as endogenous contrast available for morphological and functional imaging; translation to clinical diagnosis possible
Contact: Gereon Hüttmann, Peter König
Animal handling
Animal care rooms will be available for the animals under study. A separate animal care room will be dedicated to radioactive animals.
