Awards and Honors: October 1, 2007

Craig Levin, PhD, associate professor of radiology and leader of the Molecular Imaging Instrumentation Laboratory (MIIL), has been awarded a new R01, "Enhancing Molecular Cancer Imaging with Cadmium Zinc Telluride PET" from the National Cancer Institute. This projects consists of studying novel imaging sensors comprising a semiconducor material known as cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) and incorporating these sensors into an innovative configuration for an advanced positron emission tomography (PET) system designed for imaging small laboratory animal cancer models. The proposed system built with these CZT imaging sensors promises to enhance substantially the capabilities of PET to detect, visualize, and quantify low concentrations of molecular cancer probes reaching their target on or within cells of diseased tissues. If successful, this work will impact the development of new cancer imaging assays and help to guide the discovery of novel treatments for cancer. In the MIIL, Dr. Levin's research involves the development of novel instrumentation and software algorithms for in vivo imaging of subtle molecular processes associated with disease in the clinic as well as in small laboratory animal research. The goals of the projects are to enhance the photon sensitivity and spatial, spectral, and/or temporal resolutions in order to advance the ability to accurately detect and measure lower concentrations of molecular signal. The ultimate goal is to introduce these new imaging tools into studies of molecular mechanisms and treatments of disease within living subjects.

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