The Norwegian Molecular Imaging Infrastructure (NORMOLIM) is a national research infrastructure for biomedical and preclinical imaging and a transnational node of Euro-BioImaging ERIC – the European research infrastructure for imaging technologies in biology and medicine, comprising 18 member states and 45 nodes. NORMOLIM provides open access for Norwegian and European researchers to advanced MRI, PET, ultrasound and in vivo optical imaging, with a particular focus on molecular imaging in living disease models.
Imaging technologies are central to the future of biology and medicine. They enable new knowledge in molecular biology, physiology, disease mechanisms, biotechnology and the development of new therapies. Preclinical in vivo imaging represents a critical bridge between basic biomedical research and the development of new diagnostic tools, treatment strategies and quantitative biomarkers that can improve patient care and treatment outcomes.
NORMOLIM brings together the strongest scientific environments in Norway and is located at NTNU in Trondheim, Oslo University Hospital in Oslo, and the University of Bergen, and is in the process of integrating the outstanding PET environment at UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø as a fourth site. This structure ensures broad national coverage and optimal utilisation of expertise and advanced technology.
Technological development within preclinical imaging is rapid, and the instruments are both expensive and technically complex. To support research and innovation at a high international level, it is essential to offer access to the most advanced methods and the highest level of expertise. As both a national infrastructure and a Euro-BioImaging node, NORMOLIM is well positioned to meet this need through international quality assurance, method sharing and collaboration across Europe.
NORMOLIM is highly relevant to the Norwegian Government’s Long-Term Plan for Research and Higher Education 2023–2032 and the National Strategy for Personalised Medicine 2023–2030. The infrastructure contributes directly to the integration of advanced imaging in diagnosis, treatment and patient follow-up, and enables the development of precision medicine approaches.
Two technologies currently being implemented provide particularly strengthened research capacity:
• Combined PET/MRI, which enables simultaneous and quantitative acquisition of complementary information on anatomy, physiology, metabolism and disease biology within a single imaging session.
• Next-generation Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MS Imaging), which provides spatially resolved quantification of metabolites, proteins, pharmaceuticals and PET tracers – down to single cells – thereby enabling detailed studies of cellular interactions in complex tissues such as neuron–glia interactions in the brain and tumour–stroma interactions in the cancer microenvironment.
Recent research and innovation enabled by NORMOLIM include:
• new insight into fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction in cardiac disease
• important contributions to the understanding of dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions
• advances in characterising the tumour microenvironment and developing new cancer immunotherapy strategies
• improved methods for radiotherapy and dose planning
• strengthened drug development through multimodal and functional imaging
• contributions to the development and evaluation of ATMPs and promising results in fluorescence-guided surgery
Overall, NORMOLIM functions as a critical and modern national platform for excellent research, cross-disciplinary collaboration, innovation and the effective implementation of precision medicine in Norway.
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.
