Erasmus MC has been investing in imaging expertise and systems for quite some time and has built unique expertise in a number of areas. Various technologies (i.e. equipment as well as expertise) are put together in one new facility: Applied Molecular Imaging Erasmus. Combinations of imaging modalities can be applied to a single research question, or one experimental animal. From experience we know that a physical grouping of complementary techniques and expertise is a must to reach successful synergy. The new central imaging facility is largely housed in the new research unit in the Erasmus MC Experimental Animal Centre (EDC).

The research in the departments of Erasmus MC covers a wide range of topics; cancer research, microbiology/immunology, developmental biology and pharmacology.

Core Equipment:

• Discovery MR901 – 7T MRI
• FMT2500 – Fluorescent Optical Imaging
• IVIS Spectrum – Optical Imaging
• NanoScan – SPECT, 1T MRI
• Quantum Gx2 – microCT
• VECTor – SPECT/PET, microCT and Optical Imaging
• Vevo3100 - Ultrasound
• Workstation with analysis software packages Imalytics, PMOD, Analyze, VEVOlab and more 

Developmental/Other Equipment:

• Gammacounter for radioactive samples
• LAZR-X photoacoustic addition to the Vevo3100
• MSOT – 3D Optoacoustic

Name: Prof. dr. ir. Marion de Jong
Department: Radiology & Nuclear Medicine
Project Title: Imaging and therapy using the same radiolabelled molecules

General description of research:
An important research line of the Deptartment of Nuclear Medicine is the development and application of radiolabeled peptides and other tracers for tumor imaging (detection, staging and monitoring using PET and SPECT) and radionuclide therapy. These compounds can therefore detect cancer and treat it. The approach showed most convincing results: in the preclinical setting excellent tumoricidal effects were found, whereas in the clinic in patients suffering from neuroendocrine tumors > 75% response rate is achieved. In order to be able to detect and treat more tumor types, we now focus on other peptide receptor systems as well (e.g. CCK, minigastrin, bombesin, GRP analogues). A short youtube video showing the concept of our work can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YvG_MCXZsw

Access to and use of the AMIE instrumentation is allowed under supervision of the AMIE. Training is provided for those who plan to use the equipment independently.

Costs for equipment depends on user requirements. For more information contact the AMIE.

The AMIE provides full-service support on all equipment for imaging experiments with the option to obtain training for unsupported work.

All imaging modalities have isoflurane equipment for anesthesia.

AMIE is involved in several educational activities including workshops, symposia and Masters programs.

Impression of the AMIE Core Facility Translational Imaging Workshop "From Mouse to Man".

Conferences and events with Molecular and Translational Imaging

 OIC & AMIE Symposium: Advanced imaging techniques; From bench to bedside

Recent publications

A new semi-orthotopic bone defect model for cell and biomaterial testing in regenerative medicine.

Andrés Sastre E, Nossin Y, Jansen I, Kops N, Intini C, Witte-Bouma J, van Rietbergen B, Hofmann S, Ridwan Y, Gleeson JP, O'Brien FJ, Wolvius EB, van Osch GJVM, Farrell E. Biomaterials. 2021 Dec;279:121187. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2021.121187. Epub 2021 Oct 18. PMID: 34678648.

In Vivo Renin Activity Imaging in the Kidney of Progeroid Ercc1 Mutant Mice.

Van Thiel, B.S., Van Der Linden, J., Ridwan, Y., Garrelds, I.M., Vermeij, M., Clahsen-Van Groningen, M.C., Qadri, F., Alenina, N., Bader, M., Roks, A.J.M., Danser, A.H.J., Essers, J., Van Der Pluijm, I. 2021. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22, 12433.. doi:10.3390/ijms222212433

Red-shifted click beetle luciferase mutant expands the multicolor bioluminescent palette for deep tissue imaging.

Zambito, G., Hall, M.P., Wood, M.G., Gaspar, N., Ridwan, Y., Stellari, F.F., Shi, C., Kirkland, T.A., Encell, L.P., Löwik, C., Mezzanotte, L. 2021. iScience 24, 101986.. doi:10.1016/j.isci.2020.101986

SPECT/CT imaging of inflammation and calcification in human carotid atherosclerosis to identify the plaque at risk of rupture.

Van Der Heiden, K., Barrett, H.E., Meester, E.J., Van Gaalen, K., Krenning, B.J., Beekman, F.J., De Blois, E., De Swart, J., Verhagen, H.J.M., Van Der Lugt, A., Norenberg, J.P., De Jong, M., Bernsen, M.R., Gijsen, F.J.H. 2021. Journal of Nuclear Cardiology.. doi:10.1007/s12350-021-02745-0

Fluorinated PLGA-PEG-Mannose Nanoparticles for Tumor-Associated Macrophage Detection by Optical Imaging and MRI.

Zambito G, Deng S, Haeck J, Gaspar N, Himmelreich U, Censi R, Löwik C, Di Martino P, Mezzanotte L. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021 Aug 27;8:712367. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.712367. PMID: 34513879; PMCID: PMC8429784.

Extensive preclinical evaluation of lutetium-177-labeled PSMA-specific tracers for prostate cancer radionuclide therapy.

Ruigrok, E.A.M., Van Vliet, N., Dalm, S.U., De Blois, E., Van Gent, D.C., Haeck, J., De Ridder, C., Stuurman, D., Konijnenberg, M.W., Van Weerden, W.M., De Jong, M., Nonnekens, J. 2021. European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 48, 1339–1350.. doi:10.1007/s00259-020-05057-6

In Vivo Evaluation of Gallium-68-Labeled IRDye800CW as a Necrosis Avid Contrast Agent in Solid Tumors.

Stroet, M.C.M., De Blois, E., Haeck, J., Seimbille, Y., Mezzanotte, L., De Jong, M., Löwik, C.W.G.M., Panth, K.M. 2021. Contrast Media & Molecular Imaging 2021, 1–8.. doi:10.1155/2021/2853522

Towards Complete Tumor Resection: Novel Dual-Modality Probes for Improved Image-Guided Surgery of GRPR-Expressing Prostate Cancer.

Handula M, Verhoeven M, Chen KT, Haeck J, de Jong M, Dalm SU, Seimbille Y. Pharmaceutics. 2022 Jan 14;14(1):195. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14010195. PMID: 35057090; PMCID: PMC8778164.

Imaging at the AMIE

The AMIE is a facility where pre-clinical imaging equipment is centrally located and accessible to investigators with a research question which can be answered using the specialist equipment under guidance of imaging experts.

Dr. Monique Bernsen has a PhD in Medical Biology and has been active in Molecular Imaging since 2004. In 2010  she was involved as co-chair in the realization of the AMIE facility, and since 2019 she is Head Operations and Daily Management of the AMIE Core Facility. You can always contact her for questions about the possibilities that AMIE offers for your research and for entering into collaborations. Our goal is to promote and enable the use of advanced preclinical imaging techniques in any way possible.

Dr. Jeroen Essers holds a PhD in molecular biology and is a group leader Molecular Imaging at the Erasmus MC. As Head Innovation of the AMIE Core facility he wants to strengthen the further development of medical and advanced imaging technology and he therefore focusses on exploring, recommending and designing new imaging modalities and programs in order to maintain the pioneering role of the AMIE imaging facility. This way we established a knowledge centre for imaging technology and an accessible test location for new imaging technology. Start-ups can develop innovative imaging technology and present themselves more easily to potential users and investors. Innovation and collaboration are achieved through ease of accessibility of AMIE for internal and external partners.

Dr. Sandra van Tiel completed a BSc in medical biology (1995) at the Hoger Laboratorium Onderwijs in Delft and a PhD in cellular imaging (2020) at the ErasmusMC in Rotterdam. Sandra was appointed to her current position in April 2019. Her work primarily involves performing and supervising imaging experiments using PET, SPECT, CT and MRI. Sandra is the registered coordinating radiation expert and the animal coordinator of the AMIE. You can contact her if you need help setting up your experiment, but also if you need help writing a study protocol or project license.

Yanto Ridwan completed a BSc in Medical Biology (2007) at the Hoger Laboratorium Onderwijs in Rotterdam. He was appointed as an application specialist, with the main focus on optical imaging and microCT. His tasks include providing preliminary advice regarding the use of preclinical imaging modalities and he also provides technical support, application development, education, planning and maintenance of equipment.

AMIE is uniquely positioned within the Netherlands and relative to facilities in other countries worldwide. Not only does AMIE house an extensive array of imaging equipment with all modalities currently used for preclinical in vivo imaging, AMIE also has expert staff dedicated to the facility and is therefore able to continuously offer research support. Through close interaction with scientific experts and industry, AMIE fulfils a central role in the cycle of advancing imaging techniques, innovative research, and technology development, including hardware, software and wetware. That all equipment is only meters apart or even combined in a single platform is an immense benefit: study objects can be easily transferred between platforms giving investigators the opportunity to use several imaging modalities to gain extensive insight into their research question. This has already resulted in unique discoveries in various fields, e.g. stem-cell, cardiovascular and cancer research, which would not have been possible using single imaging modalities, and there remain many more applications which have yet to benefit from multi-modal experiments. Furthermore, imaging maximizes the information that can be gained from a given animal (refining), contributing to reduction of laboratory animal use.

The unique combination of extensive pre-clinical imaging equipment, cutting-edge technology, and dedicated in-house experts makes AMIE attractive to researchers both in NL and worldwide.

Erasmus MC departments using AMIE:

Experimental Cardiology

Molecular Genetics

Biomedical Engineering

Urology

Internal Medicine

Immunology

Pulmonology

Neurology

Pediatrics

Hematology

Rheumatology

Orthopedics

Virology

Medical Oncology

Pharmacology

Pulmonology

Molecular Radiation Therapy

(Experimental) Surgery

Radiology & Nuclear Medicine

Dutch academic users:

AMC, Dept of Vascular Disease (V. de Waard et al)

LUMC, Dept of Radiology (Dr Eic Kaijzel et al, Dr. Fijs van Leeuwen et al.; Dr Louise van de Weerd)

Radboud UMC, Dept of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (Dr Frank. Nijssen)

Radboud UMC, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (Dr Mangala Srinivas)

TU Delft, Reactor Institute (Dr Antonia Denkova et al.; Dr. Marlies Goorden et al., Prof. Freek Beekman et al.Dr Dennis Schaart et al.)

TU Delft, 3ME (Dr Sharam JanBaz)

UVA, Biomedical Engineering and Physics department (Dr Gustav Strijkers)

Dutch non-academic users:

Milabs, Inc

Cenya BV

Quirem BV

International academic users:

Gent University (J. de Backer et al),

University of Pittsburgh (M. Weinberg, Z. Urban)

Athens (Demokritos) Theodosia Maina-Nock et al.

Montpellier University (Faculty of Pharmacy) Prof. Jean Martinez  et al.

Bad Berka, Kantonsspital, Prof. Richard Baum et al.

International non-academic users:

AAA (Novartis), Inc

Chiesi Pharmaceuticals

No positions currently available