Ephoran Multi Imaging Solutions Preclinical Services is a contract research organization (CRO) located in the Bio Industry Park of Canavese at Colleretto Giacosa (Torino, Italy), offering preclinical Optical and PET imaging services. These services are supplied by Ephoran allowing the evaluation of novel probe labelled with NIR dyes or radionuclides in healthy and pathological animal models. Optical imaging is a non invasive technology allowing to visualize molecular events in real-time and over time in the same animal, providing an optimal tool for studying tumor physiology, metastasis pattern, and tumor response to drug treatment. The instruments endowed within the laboratory allow for the visualization of molecular and cellular processes both in vitro and in vivo, in small model organisms, supporting basic research as well as preclinical applications.
The laboratory, therefore, is a resource both for a detailed understanding of biological and pathological events within the organism, and for the development of new targeted therapeutic approaches at the molecular level.
The Optical Imaging Facility is equipped with imaging systems for the detection of luminescent and fluorescent signals in cultured bacterial and eukaryotic cells, in plants, in mice and in rats. A system for luminescence and fluorescence and an advanced TD (Time-Domain) Optical Imaging system for Near Infrared Red imaging allowing for reconstruction and quantification are available.
PET is based on the incorporation of a radioactive atom in a given molecule of interest, which can be administered in vivo. Among the positron-emitting isotopes, the more commonly used are 11C, 13N, 15O e 18F. The detection of the high-energy radiation emitted after positron annihilation is then used for the 3Dreconstruction of tracer distribution, according to the principles of computed tomography. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a widely accepted method for diagnosis of several types of cancer. In cancer preclinical imaging, one of the common approach used in the our laboratory is to give 18F-labelled fluoro-deoxyglucose (FDG, a short-lived radioactive form of glucose), to exploit the tendency of cancer cells to take up and use glucose much more than normal, resting tissues such that the PET images help to show the location and size of tumours. The method is very sensitive (only trace amounts of FDG need be injected) and is one type of molecular imaging. In general, PET images could be obtained from a wide variety of different radio-labelled molecules. The PET Laboratory is equipped with a PET/SPECT Scanner providing a simple tool for Multimode Functional Imaging on Small Animals.
Expertise of Ephoran's founders guarantees outstanding knowledge in PET technique in particular in the design and synthesis of dedicated PET agents and in their applications in clinical animal model testing. A PET/SPECT facility, GMP authorized, operating close to the laboratory guarantees for supplying, producing and distributing Research PET tracers in the framework of clinical and preclinical studies. PET Molecular Imaging (custom labeling) applied to drug discovery (for both preclinical and clinical research) is available on demand.
Ephoran has developed strong and qualified scientific collaborations with academia and research institutions in order to develop state-of-the-art molecular and preclinical imaging in cells and laboratory animals.