Norwegian Molecular Imaging Infrastructure

The Norwegian Molecular Imaging Infrastructure (NORMOLIM) is a national infrastructure for biomedical and preclinical imaging and a trans-national node in Euro-BioImaging ERIC, the European research infrastructure for imaging technologies in biology and medicine with 18 European member states and altogether 37 such trans-national nodes that serve the entire European Research & Innovation community. NORMOLIM offers open access for Norwegian and European researchers with state-of-the-art equipment, high competence and long experience with MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), PET (Positron Emission Tomography), Ultrasound and in vivo optical imaging with special focus on methods for molecular imaging in in vivo in animal models. Imaging technologies are central to the biology and medicine of the future. They are important for creating new knowledge in biotechnology, molecular biology, physiology, understanding of disease processes and the development of new therapies. Methods for molecular imaging in vivo in animal models constitute an important link for the transfer of knowledge from biomedical basic research to new diagnostic tools, new therapies and new biomarkers that can improve patient treatment and outcome. Therefore, it is common to call these technologies and methods Preclinical Imaging. NORMOLIM integrates the best environments in Norway for this type of infrastructure and is physically located at three sites: in Trondheim (NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology), in Oslo (Oslo University Hospital - Ullevål) and Bergen (University of Bergen),and is in the process of including the successful preclinical imaging environment in Tromsø (University of Tromsø) as a fourth site. Within such in-vivo imaging, there is rapid development of technology and methods. The equipment is expensive and with many advanced possibilities and applications, and it is therefore a great challenge to always be able to offer the researchers access to the best and most advanced”cutting-edge” imaging methods and applications as well as the best knowledge and expertise for optimal adaptation to the users' various research questions and innovation needs. With its dual role as national infrastructure and trans-national node in Euro-BioImaging ERIC, NORMOLIM is well equipped to meet these challenges. NORMOLIM is highly relevant for the prioritized area of Health in the Norwegian Government’s Long-Term plan for research and higher education. NORMOLIM will in particular support the Government’s prioritization of research and innovation in the area of personalized medicine (also called precision medicine) as outlined in the Government’s Long-Term Plan, and further described more in detail in the Norwegian Government’s national strategy for personalized medicine with the Government’s vision: “Personalized medicine is an integral part of prevention, diagnostics, treatment and follow-up in the health service with the aim of better health throughout life”. NORMOLIM is now in the process of including two new technologies that further enhances the possibilities for research that can contribute significantly to successful implementation of personalized medicine. Firstly, combined PET/MRI that enables simultaneous acquisition in the same imaging session of quantitative data from several MR Imaging methods and quantitative PET imaging of one or more tracers to enable information about anatomy, physiology, metabolism, organ function and underlying disease biology in one imaging session. Secondly, a new generation of MS Imaging (Mass Spectrometry Imaging) has opened up the possibility to image the spatial distribution (combined with quantification) of molecules like metabolites and proteins (and also drug molecules and PET tracers) in biological samples down to the single cell spatial resolution. This enables a completely new opportunity to direct study of interactions between different cell types in the tissue; two examples being interaction between neurons and the supporting glia cells in brain tissue and interactions between cancer cells and the cells in the tumor microenvironment. Recent research and innovation at NORMOLIM have enabled: • new knowledge about fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction as a common problem for many heart diseases • new knowledge about dementia as the most important societal challenge among brain diseases. • new knowledge on tumour microenvironment and cancer immunotherapy as promising new treatment targets for many cancer types • improvements in radiation therapy that enables better treatment and outcome for cancer patients. • drug discovery & development • with in-vivo optical imaging helped implementation of Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products (ATMPs) and also been promising for improved cancer surgery with fluorescence dyes.

Imaging technologies are core disciplines of tomorrows biology and medicine. They are important for enabling new knowledge in biotechnology, molecular biology, physiology, disease process, and new therapies. The NORMOLIM infrastructure has been established to focus on imaging technologies and methods in the area of in-vivo molecular imaging; limited to in-vivo imaging in animal model systems (experimental models of disease and transgenic mice/rats). This research area is an important link for translation between breakthroughs in basic biomedical research and new technology and methods that can improve patient management and outcome and obtain a sustainable healthcare system. NORMOLIM is a distributed infrastructure between three facilities (in Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim) for molecular imaging at a high international level. All three have access to a wide range of imaging modalities and technologies for in-vivo molecular imaging (MR, PET, ultrasound, in-vivo optical imaging etc.). These facilities have differences in focus regarding medical and biomedical research areas and differences in advanced methods, special technologies, special applications, special competence and scientific experience. NORMOLIM has unified these facilities to provide a critical mass for enhancing their collective impact, and NORMOLIM has established a multi-site service package that fit a wide range of needs from national and international users. A common trait for all imaging modalities is rapid development of new technology, methods and applications. With expensive and technologically demanding equipment, a key challenge is to help researchers and industry to have access to the best possible imaging tools at any time as well as the knowledge and competence to tailor them to the users research questions and projects. NORMOLIM meets this challenge by providing open access to a state-of-the-art (and beyond) imaging infrastructure and advanced competence for optimal use of the imaging tools.