Services

The CMSR provides an integrated array of services for facilitating the in vivo modeling of human disease using mouse models; supporting preclinical in vivo efficacy and toxicity studies; devising treatment protocols; using noninvasive imaging for diagnosis and evaluation of responses to treatment; and performing histopathological analysis of targeted cancer therapies. The CMSR assists investigators in conducting basic, translational, and clinical research, including project and experimental design, protocol implementation, establishment of tumor models, instrumentation usage, and sample and data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

Service areas:

Modeling Services: Support the development of experimental mouse models of cancer, including with cell lines and PDXs, CRISPR generation of novel mouse models, development of CRISPR (and sh)-based cell lines, in vitro and in vivo CRISPR-based genetic screenings, sperm cryopreservation and other transgenic services, generation of humanized mouse models, breeding of immunocompromised host strains and genetic models, specialized mouse husbandry and colony management, cell culture, genotyping, mouse handling, support for cancer cell line and human primary tumor transplantation, and specialized surgeries.

Treatment-related Services: Support for devising and implementing diverse treatment protocols in a pre-clinical setting using mouse models of human disease, including efficacy and toxicity studies in mice, compound formulation and drug delivery, sample collection and biochemical assays for pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) studies, blood counts and chemistry analysis, and total body or image-guided radiotherapy. Toxicology studies include determination of maximum-tolerated dose after single dose or chronic exposure required for tolerance profiling of candidate agents, acute single-dose or repeat-dose toxicity studies. PK/PD studies include collection of plasma, organs, and tumor samples at multiple time points to assess bioavailability and PK/PD profile of therapeutic agents.

Noninvasive Small Animal Imaging Services: Support with experimental design, imaging acquisition, image analysis for diagnosis and evaluation of responses to treatment using noninvasive in vivo small animal imaging and research histopathological analysis. In vivo small animal imaging includes bioluminescence and fluorescence optical imaging, high-frequency ultrasound imaging, structural and functional nuclear imaging (PET/SPECT/CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Development and implementation of specific pipelines and imaging reagents like radiotracers. Radiochemistry services in support of structural and functional nuclear imaging services, including procurement of typical clinical tracers from commercial vendors and in-house synthesis of unique PET imaging probes.

Research Histopathological Services: Tissue processing, embedding, sectioning, H&E staining and immunohistochemistry, whole slide scanning, and digital image storage and analysis; histopathological support for spatial proteomics and transcriptomics studies using platforms like the CyTOF Hyperion imaging mass cytometer and the Bruker GeoMx and CosMx.

The CMSR also offers support for protocol development for studies of therapeutic resistance and specialized data analysis.