Update on our progress using PET/CT

We want to update our supports and backers on our progress that was made possible through your kind donations to our laboratory. We now have the PET/CT up and running and have started to use this powerful new technology to generate data. In this first pilot experiment, we used an 18F-NaF radioactive probe to label bone in a mouse (the blue color). We then used the PET to measure the radioactive signal (the blue color) and the CT (X-ray image) to generate a 3-dimensional reconstruction of the mouse (as seen in the video below). We will use this data to study a variety of pathologies and biological pathways of multiple myeloma engrafted in the bone marrow, as well as how different drugs can modify or regulate these systems in vivo. For example, we will use unique probes to carefully and systematically study changes in metabolism, blood flow, hypoxia, and pH in the myeloma tumors. We can also study how growth of the tumors impact on bone marrow function, the formation of bone lesions, and effects on tumor recruitment and migration. Finally, using these models, we can study how different anti-myeloma therapeutic strategies effect tumor cells using these powerful imaging technologies.

The donations provide by our backers have allowed us the purchase mice and reagents to continue our experiments. Thank you and we will keep you informed of our continuing progress.

Donations are still welcome.