Prof. Dr. Markus Rudin

 

Main Goals, Keywords

Our group develops non-invasive magnetic resonance and fluorescence imaging techniques in order to derive structural, functional and molecular information from small laboratory animals. Techniques are applied in areas of neuroscience, cancer biology, and metabolic diseases.

Previous and Current Research

• Molecular imaging of gene expression: Immediate early genes
• Noninvasive quantitative imaging of amyloid plaque load in the brain of genetically engineered mouse models of cerebral amyloidosis
• The origin of the fMRI signal
• Development of fluorescence tomographic imaging system
• Molecular imaging of hypoxia signaling in tumors
  

Project at the Animal Imaging Center (AIC)

Noninvasive imaging has evolved from visualization of tissue anatomy using structural imaging approaches (x-ray and magnetic resonance imaging, MRI) to a technology platform that comprises multiple imaging modalities and provides information on tissue morphology, tissue physiology, metabolic as well as cellular & molecular processes. None of the imaging technologies will be sufficient to cover all these applications. For instance MRI provides high spatial resolution, yet is limited with regard to sensitivity; PET and Optical imaging have rather complementary features: excellent sensitivity but limited spatial resolution. These three technologies are implemented in the AIC. The biological problem determines the optimal imaging method to be used.

We apply molecular imaging approaches to study gene expression or the function of gene products (pathway imaging) in a quantitative manner in the intact living organism. This involves enhancement of imaging techniques (improved sensitivity for MRI, optical tomography, tissue modeling for quantification) as well as the development of specific biological assays for monitoring the presence of a specific target or of a molecular interaction (e.g. protein-protein interaction). Assays use reporter genes such as luciferase, fluorescent proteins or MRI systems such as transferrin receptor. The ability to study molecular events non-invasively in the intact organisms, i.e. within their full biological context, will undoubtedly contribute to the understanding of the normal and diseased organism.

Selected Publications

• Yankam Njiwa, J., Ratering, D., Baltes, C., Rudin, M. Increasing temporal resolution of DSC perfusion MRI using the analytic image concept. MAGMA, Aug 7 (2010).
• Ratering, D., Baltes, C., Dörries, C., Rudin, M. Accelerated cardiovascular magnetic resonance of the mouse heart using self-gated parallel imaging strategies does not compromise accuracy of structural and functional measures. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. Jul 21 (2010).
• Mueggler, T., Razoux, F., Russig, H., Buehler, A., Franklin, T.B., Baltes, C., Mansuy, I.M., Rudin, M. Mapping of CBV changes in 5-HT(1A) terminal fields by functional MRI in the mouse brain. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. Jul 23 (2010).

URL

http://www.biomed.ee.ethz.ch/people/rudinma

http://www.biomed.ee.ethz.ch/research/molecular_imaging

http://www.pharma.uzh.ch/research/imaging.html