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Center for In Vivo Imaging and Therapeutics (CIVIT)

Using cutting-edge imaging and image-guided therapy technologies to advance research

OVERVIEW

The Center for In Vivo Imaging and Therapeutics (CIVIT) is staffed by PhD-level scientists, available for consultation and experimental design, and highly skilled research technologists who provide imaging, surgery, and preclinical therapeutic services. Preclinical imaging modalities include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), micro-computed tomography (µCT), positron emission tomography (PET), bioluminescence imaging (BLI), high resolution ultrasound (US), intravital multiphoton microscopy, and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Imaging (MRI, PET/CT, BLI, US, intravital microscopy) and surgical procedures are conducted within a barrier housing facility, facilitating studies utilizing severely immunocompromised models.

IMPACT

CIVIT enables St. Jude investigators to conduct high-density, complex preclinical studies at reasonable cost with expert input. CIVIT supports the work of investigators across the institution and has been acknowledged as a contributor on over 250 peer-reviewed publications.

The imaging capabilities of St. Jude have transformed my lab. We would not have been able to conduct our meaningful studies without the intensive work from CIVIT.

Joseph Opferman, Associate Member

Services

Microsurgery techniques including orthotopic PDX implants
Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy
Bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging
High resolution ultrasound and ultrasound-guided injections
Positron emission tomography
Micro-computed tomography
Image guided radiation therapy
Intravital multiphoton microscopy

Equipment

2 Bruker 9.4T MRI systems each equipped with Cryocoil technology
Bruker Si198 PET insert for acquisition of both PET and MRI data
Bruker Si78 μPET-CT for PET and CT imaging
Bruker Skyscan 1276 μCT
7 Revvity IVIS Spectrum for bioluminescence/fluorescence imaging
5 VisualSonics VEVO 3100 for ultrasound imaging
Olympus FVMPE-RS mulitphoton laser-scanning microscope
4 Leica and 2 Mitaka high-performance surgical microscopes
Xstrahl SARRP for image guided radiotherapy

CIVIT by the numbers

250+

More than 250 peer-reviewed publication contributions

CIVIT by the numbers

9.4T

field strength of the small animal MRI

CIVIT by the numbers

30µM

spatial resolution of small animal ultrasound

CIVIT by the numbers

70+

More than 70 collaborative investigator partnerships

Director

Gregory Turner, PhD 

gregory.turner@stjude.org

Gregory H Turner, PhD, has over 20 years of experience in the development and application of preclinical imaging methods and over 15 years of experience overseeing core imaging facilities. He earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alabama and a Master of Science and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Turner then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Vanderbilt University, where he developed imaging methods for studying brain function and the neural effects of pharmacologic compounds in preclinical models. Before joining St. Jude, Dr. Turner oversaw the operation of the preclinical imaging center at the Barrow Neurological Institute, where he focused on the use of imaging to study major neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and cancer. Dr. Turner also has experience in the pharmaceutical industry, as a principal scientist at GlaxoSmithKline where he developed imaging protocols for studying cardiac function and vascular inflammation.