University of Münster, Münster, Germany

Interdisciplinary Molecular Imaging Network for Cardiovascular Diseases (IMINCAD), Departments of Nuclear Medicine, Cardiology and Angiology, Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Institute of Anatomy, and Institute for Arteriosclerosis Research

[Scientific staff | Publications within DiMI | References]

Group Description

Münster has formed a local network for molecular imaging of cardiovascular diseases. In this network, scientists from several institutions and clinical departments work together to identify and image molecular targets in cardiovascular diseases. Such targets are identified within the interdisciplinary group based on clinical questions/challenges and basic research findings (Dept. of Cardiology and Dept. of Anaesthesiology). Appropriate binding ligands for the selected targets are identified, structurally modified and radiolabelled (Dept. of Nuclear Medicine). The developed compounds are evaluated in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo and finally pre-clinically tested in suitable target-expressing animal models of human cardiovascular diseases. Radioligands that successfully complete this procedure are then used for basic research in animal models as well as transferred to clinical application in clinical studies (Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, Dept. of Cardiology, Institute of Anatomy). [read more]