BMRI Brain Imaging Laboratories

The BMRI Brain Imaging laboratories are concerned with

1. The development of novel chemical entities that can be used to measure, both non-invasively and with high specificity, sub-nanomolar to millimolar changes in the expression of biomarkers (i.e., cellular or molecular indicators of exposure, disease, or susceptibility to disease)
2. The development and application of animal imaging instrumentation and physics (microPET, microSPECT, microMR).

The activities of the BMRI Imaging Laboratories are all concentrated “under one roof” on a 2500-square metre floor plan dedicated in their entirety to imaging research. These open-access laboratories - representing a total investment of two and a half million dollars in imaging instrumentation and three and a half million dollars in specifically imaging-related building works - were formally opened by the Prime Minister John Howard on June 5, 2006.

The strength of the BMRI imaging laboratories is the cutting edge development of imaging instrumentation and the synthesis of new imaging ligands, being the home of the largest grouping of imaging physicists, the leading School of Chemistry, and Australia’s first senior professorial post in radiochemistry. Presently, there are worldwide only a few dedicated settings - and in Australia none - where the necessary interdisciplinary expertise in chemistry, physics, pharmacology and biology/medicine has been physically co-located in abutting laboratories. It is fair to assume that this represents the most significant and conceptually coherent research investment in Australia into the basic and clinical medical applications of molecular imaging using specific isotope-labelled molecules. The University of Sydney is in the unique position to provide the national imaging network with the rarely available full complement of (radio-) chemists, physicists, biologists and crucial instrumentation necessary to lead the field of molecular in vivo imaging technologies and the associated development of novel chemical entities.

The researchers at BMRI have a proven track record in collaborative research. Since 2003, the BMRI Imaging Laboratories have attracted competitive research funding in excess of three million dollars for collaborative imaging research projects. The directors of the BMRI Imaging Laboratories also hold appointments and major grants with leading overseas groups, including the Jefferson Laboratories, USA; the MRC/CSC Hammersmith Hospital (Cyclotron Unit), Imperial College, UK, the CNRS/CEA Orsay, France; the Wolfson Imaging Centres in Cambridge and Manchester, UK and CTI-Siemens, Knoxville.

Currently, the on-site available resources for the quantitative, state-of-the-art in vivo measurement of bio-distributions in animals (rodents and primates) include:

• MicroPET;
• MicroSPECT;
• Beta-microprobe;
• Medicinal chemistry solely dedicated to imaging ligand synthesis;
• Radiochemistry facilities including hot cell and module for fluorination and hot cell for iodination;
• BioModellingLab, advanced computing facilities for image analysis and high capacity data storage;
• MR spectroscopy (8.4T vertical bore magnet and 3T whole body research MR scanner);
• Shielded room for high-field horizontal bore magnet;
• Detector Development Laboratory (outside the PC2 laboratories);
• All instruments are in a purpose-designed PC2 and GMP compliant environment;
• Designated office space for visiting scientists.
• Further, on the Sydney University campus there are additional high-end MR spectroscopy instruments as well a state-of-the-art microCT, which is part of the NANO/MNRF network.

The facility is supported by three senior professorial posts/chairs and a lectureship in magnetic resonances imaging, all having been created since 2003 and fully dedicated to imaging research. It operates as an open-access facility for researchers at the University of Sydney. Collaborations extend beyond the field of animal imaging and include work with the CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology on positron spectroscopy, reflecting the strength of the BMRI in instrumentation physics.

The imaging group (left to right - Prof Richard Banati, Ms Wencke Lehnert, A/Prof Steve Meikle, Mr Peter Kench and A/Prof Michael Kassiou) with the microPET animal scanner, which was funded by the triennial Ramaciotti National Biomedical Research Initiative.