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Small Animal Handling Devices for Multiplatform Imaging

Award Information
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Branch: National Institutes of Health
Contract: 1R41NS050141-01
Agency Tracking Number: NS050141
Amount: $147,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2004
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
ASI INSTRUMENTS, INC. 12900 E TEN MILE RD
WARREN, MI 48089
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 STANLEY FRICKE
 (202) 687-4628
 STF2@GEORGETOWN.EDU
Business Contact
Phone: (586) 756-1222
Research Institution
 GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
 
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
Washington, DC 20057
United States

 Nonprofit College or University
Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Small animal imaging initiatives are growing rapidly due to the enormous potential for improved understanding and treatment of human disease through animal imaging. At present, every radiologic modality available for use in humans has been adapted for small animal use. Other modalities have been devised solely for the purpose of in vivo imaging of research animals. As investigators increasingly make use of small animal imaging, the need for improved and standardized animal handling technology is critical. Our research goal is to create and distribute animal handling systems that are robust, safe, easy to use, and able to provide high-quality radiological images across multiple imaging platforms including MRI, CAT, PET and SPECT. The Specific Aims are to (1) Test and improve a stereotaxic rodent holder for rat and mouse head imaging, (2) Test and enhance animal monitoring and physiological support for the modular animal handling system, and (3) Evaluate the ability to use the rodent holder in multi-modality imaging applications. This proposed research is the result of a partnership between a small business specializing in the manufacture of animal handling devices (ASI Instruments, Inc.) and a university based research team (Neurobiological Magnetic Resonance Imaging Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University). This industry/academic partnership will merge of the technology of stereotaxic instrumentation, typically used for the precise anatomical alignment needed in surgical procedures, and the technology of radiological imaging, in order to precisely align small animals to the orthogonal imaging planes of medical imaging equipment. Knowledge gained from this Phase I study will be used in Phase II for developing animal holders for other animals and for purposes other than imaging the brain of these animals (e.g. skeletal muscle, spinal cord, heart, lung, etc.).

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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