MOLECULAR IMAGING: Integrated technologies for in-vivo molecular imaging

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 03.0498-1

Key words (English)

Tomography; microscopy; fluorescence; inverse problem; functional genomics; phenotyping

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: 503259

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 6. Frame Research Programme - 1.1.1a

Short description (English)

See abstract

Further information (English)

Full name of research-institution/enterprise:
ETH Zürich
Laboratorium für Physikalische Chemie
HCI F 205

Abstract (English)

The goal of the project proposed here is to generate and apply novel advanced technology for non-invasive imaging of biomolecular function in living systems ranging from single cells to whole animals. Main areas for technological innovation are i) generation of new biosensors enabling novel ways of functional contrast, ii) improving resolution of microscopic and tomographic imaging systems, and iii) creating new multimodal imaging setups combining different contrast modes. It is expected that our combined effort will provide spectacular new opportunities for phenotyping functional (molecular) analysis in cells and animal models.
To achieve this goal we bring together a unique consortium of leading research groups in Europe combining a) engineers, experimental and theoretical physicists (who design new and improved, tomographic and microscopic imaging devices for in vivo-imaging); b) bioorganic chemists and molecular biologists (for design of new chemical and genetic encoded molecular probes and biosensors); and c) biologists examining fundamental questions at the cell, organ and whole animal level (thereby providing the above researchers the appropriate and relevant goals for the technological innovation).
The management structure of the project provides for continuous interactions and flow of information among the various participants, groups and subgroups involved in each workpackage. High quality training is guaranteed by exchange of young researchers among the expert participants and by summer and other schools. Inclusion and interactions with companies active in this field are among the several means of exploitation of the expected RTD and innovation results.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 03.0498-1