3rd TPCF Preclinical Symposium Imaging(TPIS 2020)

Abstract

The path of discovering/designing a molecule to developing a novel drug could take up to an average of 12 years and costs around $1 billion (USD). Preclinical phase is a major step on this path and is the part where scientists perform additional studies on their molecules prior to moving the drug into clinical studies. Preclinical studies consist of anything ranging from observing efficacy, dosing strategy, safety and toxicological studies and pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Pharmacodynamics consist of any studies performed in order to understand the relationship between the amount of drug in the body and its biological effect. In summary this means what does the drug do to the body and how potent and efficacious the drug is? In pharmacokinetics we are interested to identify the effect of body on the drug. Therefore, we would be interested in knowing the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of the novel drug. In order to ensure reliability and consistency all of the preclinical results should be complied with the good laboratory practice and are required to be submitted to organization such as FDA before filing for approval of an investigational new drug.
Addressing all of the above questions requires time and money but with the rise of cutting-edge technologies such as preclinical imaging, advancement of preclinical studies has excelled. This is due to being able to see in real time and in the same preclinical model the majority of parameters needed to be identified for preclinical phase of drug development. There are numerous dedicated preclinical imaging devices that could be used. These devices consists of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), Computed Tomography (CT), Optical/Fluorescence and Ultrasound imaging. These technologies require advanced engineering and scientific skills for their development, usage and optimization.
This suggests that in order to have an enhanced preclinical imaging infrastructure, we would require an advanced multidisciplinary collaboration and network between engineering and sciences. In order to facilitate this, we at Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) Preclinical Core Facility (TPCF) organized a symposium branded as TPIS (TPCF Preclinical Imaging Symposium). This was our 3rd annual symposium and it was on online platform due to Covid-19 pandemic. The symposium consisted of talks by domestic and international presenters from various disciplines of science and engineering.
We are pleased that Frontiers in Biomedical Technology (FBT) is publishing these abstract in their journal. We at TPCF are also inviting the readers of FBT to attend our 4th annual TPIS (for more information visit our website on: www.TPCF.ir).