Save The Date
Utrecht Life Sciences – MILabs Seminar 2014 on Radioviral Imaging
Date: 26 September 2014
| 16.00 | Welcome, |
| Prof. Freek Beekman, CEO MILabs BV | |
| 16.10 | “Imaging Virus and Cells using NIS Reporter Gene” |
| Prof. Stephen J. Russell, Director of the Molecular Medicine Program Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota | |
| 17.00 | Drinks |
Location:
Utrecht University
Lecture room M2.01, David de Wied building, Universiteitsweg 99,
Utrecht, The Netherlands
Imaging Virus and Cells using NIS Reporter Gene
Stephen J. Russell M.B.Ch.B., Ph.D., FRCP (UK), FRCPath (UK), LLD (Hon).
Director of the Molecular Medicine Program Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
The sodium iodide symporter (NIS) is expressed endogenously in thyroid follicular cells where its role is to concentrate iodine for the synthesis of thyroid hormones. Thyroidal NIS expression has provided the basis for gamma camera, SPECT/CT and PET/CT imaging in benign and malignant thyroid disorders using a variety of anionic radiotracers. We are using NIS as a reporter gene in transgenic animals and for tracking the biodistribution of virus, gene and cellular therapies. Since NIS is non-immunogenic, it can be used for repetitive longitudinal imaging studies in any mammalian species.
Biosketch
Stephen J. Russell is currently the Richard O. Jacobson Professor of Molecular Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He obtained his M.B.Ch.B. from the University of Edinburgh, PhD. from University of London, and received specialist accreditation in Medicine and Hematology. In 1998, he took the position of Director of the Molecular Medicine Program Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and subsequently became Department Chair when the Program was converted to a department.
His research is focused on developing engineered viruses for the treatment of disseminated malignancies (particularly multiple myeloma) and demonstrating their efficacy in clinical trials. Research themes in his laboratory include the engineering of viral membrane glycoproteins, targeting cell to cell fusion, targeting virus entry, using cellular microRNAs to reprogram virus tropism, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of virus-based therapies, noninvasive monitoring and imaging of viral gene expression in vivo, and radiovirotherapy. He is a practicing hematologist.
About Utrecht Life Sciences
Utrecht Life Sciences is an open innovation network in the Netherlands, which unites Utrecht University, the University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht School of Applied Sciences, government and business. Its goal is to intensify cooperation in the areas of education, research & innovation by providing state of the art shared infrastructures, scouting & educating talented people, creating access to scarce expertise and databases, and increasing access to external grants & funds for its partners. In doing so we aim to become a leading Biomedical Centre in Europe in the coming years.
Utrecht Life Sciences has a focus on highly relevant Life Sciences research areas in human and animal health: Public Health – One Health, Cancer, Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cells and Health Care Innovation. Utrecht Life Sciences provides top-level education of scientists and technicians at the Bachelor, Master, and PhD level. It has access to attractive and valuable cohorts of patients, both human and animal.
About MILabs
MILabs provides high-end preclinical molecular imaging solutions for biomedical and pharmaceutical research. Today these systems contribute worldwide to the development of new diagnostic solutions and therapies for diseases such as cancer, cardiac and neurodegenerative diseases and diabetes. U-SPECT/CT provides the fastest, most sensitive and highest resolution small-animal SPECT currently available. Recently MILabs introduced VECTor+ and VECTor+/CT providing extremely user friendly, fully integrated and simultaneous ultra-high resolution SPECT/PET.
