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FIP Seminar: "Quantification of oxygenation and vascular function in tumor and normal tissues using intravital microscopy"

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Wednesday, February 28, 2018
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Dr. Greg Palmer, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, Duke University School of Medicine

Optical methods enable non-destructive, quantitative, longitudinal monitoring of tissue, in vivo. This enables dynamic imaging of a variety of physiologic and molecular sources of contrast. I will describe in vivo optical techniques applicable to two different settings. Intravital imaging using hyperspectral and fluorescence imaging in window chamber models allows the wide range of available optical microscopy techniques to be applied to living tissues. The acquisition and analysis of three types of functional information will be discusses: 1) hemodynamic parameters, including oxygen saturation and blood flow, 2) oxygen sensing nanoparticles for assessment of tissue hypoxia, and 3) fluorescent reporters for cell tracking and gene expression. These enable quantitative assessment of oxygen supply and consumption, including fluctuating hypoxia in tumors. In an additional application, blood transfusion relies on stored blood delivered to patients to enhance oxygen delivery e.g. following surgery or traumatic injury. Optical techniques present an ideal modality to study in vivo the real time effects of transfusion, including tissue oxygenation, cell adhesion, and vasomotion. The combination of these tools facilitates a more complete characterization of tissue physiology and molecular responses, and how these interplay to influence response to therapy.

Contact: August Burns