The Imaging Core Facility (the Core) resources at the BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute (BMEII) are available to all qualified users.

New projects using the Core’s resources are initiated with a project proposal. All projects are reviewed and approved by the Imaging Resources Management Committee (IRMC) based on:

1. Feasibility of the research on existing resources
2. Availability of equipment
3. Scientific merit

Ongoing resource time is based on user’s ability to secure funding and overall progress of work. BMEII’s efforts to reduce the burden of starting a research project were designed to support the research of its users as effectively as possible.

For all new studies, the BMEII director will provide a memorandum (template available at Standard Operating Procedure (SOP 105). The signed memo will need to be included in the Internal Documents tab of the InfoEd application.

For each new project the following steps (SOP101) will ensure a quicker review and approval:

1. Consultation with technical director: Please consult with the applicable technical director to discuss the intended project, protocol feasibility, and any other technical or operational issues. When the study involves animal subjects, discussions with CCMS should also be initiated.

The technical directors are:

• Priti Balchandani, PhD, for neuroimaging
• Zahi Fayad, PhD, for heart projects or any inquiry
• Chris Cannistraci, for small animal imaging
• Bachir Taouli, MD, for cancer or body projects

2. Regulatory and ethical approval (IRB/IACUC): Every project, including pilot studies, needs documented regulatory and ethical approval. Institutional Review Board (IRB) for human studies, or the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) for animal studies, must be demonstrated. A grants and contract office (GCO) number must also be provided.

3. Project submission: Submissions for new projects are made through the BMEII Imaging Core web-based resource management system (SOP101)

4. Safety training: Mandatory safety training (SOP102) prior to entering the Core facility is required

5. Kick-off meeting and/or scheduling: Once the project is approved, you will be able to use the BMEII Imaging Core web-based calendar to schedule scanner time (SOP103). Depending on the study, a brief kick-off meeting may be needed prior to the start of the study to review the finalized workflow with all related parties

• The SOP for staring a research project is available at (SOP101)
• The SOP for safety training is available at URL (SOP102)
• The SOP for scheduling a research study is available at (SOP103)
• The SOP for the Use of Radiopharmaceuticals in Research Protocols (SOP PET)