Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Nuclear imaging is revolutionizing our understanding of normal and pathological processes in living organisms by enabling real-time, non-invasive investigation of physiological and biochemical activities at the tissue, cellular, and sub-cellular levels.The usefulness of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) as diagnostic tools in medicine and platforms for drug delivery system development is undeniable. Nuclear imaging techniques have a proven track record. The ever-existing need for better detector sensitivity, better resolution and cost-effectiveness, stemming from requirements of an early disease diagnosis, drives the progression of nuclear imaging technologies. Today, hybrid scanners combine the high-resolution anatomic imaging modalities, such as Computed Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), with functional imaging capabilities of PET and SPECT. And organ-specific systems with their task-tailored design and geometry allow to reach targeted detector sensitivity and resolution without escalating cost.Nuclear imaging technologies to study plants are less advanced than similar applications in medical research. Development of plant PET/SPECT systems will enable molecular imaging of intact plants and root systems and improve the understanding of plant productivity; nutrient and water use efficiency, plant microbe interactions, response to environmental stress (such as elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, heat, cold and microbial organisms) and injury, etc. Impact areas for molecular imaging of plants include: optimization of plant productivity, biofuel development and carbon sequestration in biomass, and climate change.The goal of proposed work is to develop the next generation of customized detectors to refine existing radionuclide imaging and radiotherapy applications. The vision is to develop modular and flexible detector solutions for nuclear imaging, such as PET and SPECT driven by requirements of detection of radioisotope uptake in plants. Tools have to be developed to quantify the physiology of photosynthesis under various conditions and parameters, as well as for studying invasive species and plant stresses that include infection and injury, among others. The specific approach is to take advantage of breakthroughs in the fields of new scintillation materials (e.g., Gadolinium Aluminum Gallium Garnet), incorporate refinements in readout technologies. The modular design of the system component solutions developed for plant imaging will allow them to be used in next generation organ- and task- specific imaging applications, such as dedicated breast, brain scanners, as well as, PET/MR, PET/CT, SPECT/MR and SPECT/CT systems. The proposed research program has the potential to benefit Canada and Canadians in areas such as health and responsible resource development.