Center for Advanced Molecular Imaging (CAMI): preclinical in vivo imaging
Preclinical MRI, microCT, PET/CT, SPECT/CT and optical imaging with staff who can run the full study, including radiolabeling and animal handling.
Overview
CAMI, within Northwestern's Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, was designed from the ground up to provide biomedical researchers with the most advanced imaging tools in the world and talented personnel to use them to maximum advantage. It offers anatomical and functional imaging across magnetic resonance, optical and nuclear techniques.
Available services
- Technical support: CAMI staff can operate any of the instruments on a user's behalf. PET and SPECT are staff-operated; staff operation is recommended for MRI; the IVIS Spectrum and cell culture room are available to oriented users.
- Vet tech services: anesthesia, IV injections, tail vein catheterization, oral gavage and tissue collection.
- Image analysis: staff consultation, with staff either executing the analysis or guiding the user's workflow. Amira, Living Image, JIM and Segment are available, with two workstations in the lobby.
- Radiolabeling: in some cases, CAMI staff can perform radiolabeling on a user's behalf.
- Gamma counting to quantify tissue samples after imaging and validate PET and SPECT results.
- Cell culture room with laminar flow hood, incubators, refrigerator/freezer, microscope, water bath and consumables.
Equipment & instruments
- Bruker Biospec 9.4T MRI, for hardware-intensive experiments including high resolution anatomic imaging and diffusion imaging (DWI, DTI)
- Bruker Pharmascan 7T MRI, for high-throughput basic imaging experiments, frequently used for relaxometry and in vitro characterization of novel MRI contrast agents
- Bruker Skyscan 1276 microCT, for rapid in vivo imaging and high resolution specimen scanning, with applications including lung metastases, bone mineral density and bone regeneration
- Perkin-Elmer IVIS Spectrum, a whole-body optical imaging system for high-sensitivity in vivo fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging of reporter genes
- MILabs U-SPECT-II SPECT/CT, described as the highest resolution preclinical SPECT scanner currently available, used for cardiac perfusion, cell tracking, apoptosis and necrosis, and bone remodeling
- Mediso NanoScan PET/CT, balancing high sensitivity with high throughput, for imaging glucose metabolism in the brain or heart and radiolabeled antibody uptake
Access & engagement
Posted rates are for Northwestern and CBC members. CAMI welcomes customers from outside Northwestern University; external customers contact the center to discuss project planning and external rates. Additional fees apply outside business hours, with premium rates for off-hours vet tech work. Phone: (847) 491-3741 (Evanston), (312) 503-8649 (Chicago).
About Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a comprehensive private research university with campuses in Evanston and downtown Chicago and a collaborative, cross‑disciplinary culture. Integration with a major hospital system enables clinical research, diverse patient access, and rapid translation from bench to bedside. Shared research cores, prototyping facilities, a campus incubator, and dedicated corporate engagement teams make it straightforward to scope projects, structure agreements, and place talent. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from agencies such as NIH, NSF, DOE, and DoD, complemented by foundation and industry partnerships. A dedicated technology transfer office advances IP strategy, licensing, and startup formation.
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