ANSTO-BMRI collaboration

The Camperdown precinct

Located at Camperdown in Sydney, the Camperdown precinct is a research and educational partnership between the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Research Institute (BMRI). The dedicated medical research cyclotron and radiochemistry facility forms part of the National Imaging Facility (NIF) network.

As well as using current state-of-the-art technology, a key focus for the collaboration is to develop new radiopharmaceuticals, instruments and scientific methods that extend the potential applications of molecular imaging in the future. Molecular imaging plays an important role in unravelling the molecular mechanisms of disease.

The facility comprises

• A new cyclotron dedicated to biomedical research.
• Connected with the cyclotron, Australia’s most advanced radiolabelling facility will enable development of molecular probes that scientists can use to measure molecules and proteins in the body with staggering sensitivity.
• State-of-the-art biomedical imaging laboratories located nearby at the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Research Institute (BMRI). The labs are equipped with multi-modality preclinical and clinical scanners that use the molecular probes to measure specific biological functions related to disease.
• A high performance computing platform providing advanced imaging analysis and modelling.

Workshop on Preclinical Molecular Imaging

Held 26 August, 2013, at the Brain & Mind Research Institute, 94 Mallett St., Camperdown.

The workshop provided an update on the molecular imaging capabilities on offer at the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Research Institute (BMRI) in collaboration with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), both nodes of the National Imaging Facility (NIF). The BMRI-ANSTO facility offers radioactive tracer imaging modalities such as PET and SPECT as well as CT and autoradiography, while the UNSW node offers high-field MRI, bioluminescence, PET, CT and ultrasound.

The workshop included presentations and round-table discussion opportunities led by experts in each of four key areas of health and medical research: cardiovascular disease; cancer; mental health and neuroscience; and infectious diseases. The discussions focussed on how these imaging modalities are able to support research in these areas, and what challenges need to be overcome.

Program

Preclinical MRI and bio-luminescence
Carl Power, UNSW. Download presentation PDF.
Andre Bongers, UNSW. Download presentation PDF.

Preclinical PET awake animal imaging
Roger Fulton, BMRI. Download presentation PDF.
Bernard Balleine, BMRI

Preclinical PET/SPECT/CT
Giancarlo Pascali, ANSTO. Download presentation PDF.
Anthonin Reilhac-Laborde, ANSTO. Download presentation PDF.
Corinne Caillaud, University of Sydney. Download presentation PDF.

Cancer
Pierre Dilda, Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW. Download presentation PDF.

Neurosciences
Thomas Becker, Developmental Neurobiology & Genomics, BMRI. Download presentation PDF.

Cardiovascular disease
Gemma Figtree, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital

Infectious diseases
Tania Sorrell, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Millennium Institute. Download presentation PDF.

The NIF is a network of open access imaging laboratories in eight Australian universities and research institutes. The development of this facility was supported by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS), and received investment from the Australian Government, ANSTO, the University of Sydney and the NSW Government.