EVOLVE Online Workshop: Building High-Quality Preclinical Imaging Facilities

This workshop will explore the key elements required to establish and operate high-quality preclinical imaging facilities. Through presentations from experts in academia and industry, participants will learn about the European regulatory framework for animal research, implementation of the 3Rs, quality standards, and best practices for responsible facility management.

The programme will also highlight how preclinical imaging supports translational research, from drug discovery to clinical applications, and showcase multimodal imaging workflows combining complementary technologies.

The workshop is intended for imaging facility staff and researchers that are part of Euro-BioImaging Nodes.

Programme

Building Responsible Preclinical Imaging Facilities: 3Rs, Regulation and Quality Standards

This session will explore the key regulatory, ethical, and quality aspects required to establish and operate responsible preclinical imaging facilities.

Lluis Montoliu (National Centre of Biotechnology, CNB-CSIC, Madrid) will provide an overview of the European framework for animal research, including current regulations and ethical considerations governing preclinical studies.
Philipp Boehm-Sturm (Scientific Director, Charité Core Facility "7T Experimental MRIs") will discuss how imaging facilities can implement the 3Rs principles (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) in daily operations and facility management.
Laure Balasse and Colette Gomis Mansaly (CERIMED, Aix-Marseille Université) will share their experience in implementing ISO 9001 quality management systems within a preclinical imaging facility, highlighting lessons learned and practical recommendations.

Translating Preclinical Imaging Into Clinical Contexts

This session will focus on how preclinical imaging supports translational research and contributes to the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Philippe Robert (Guerbet) will present how contrast agents are developed and translated from preclinical research to clinical applications, highlighting challenges and opportunities along the translational pathway.
Simone Kleinendorst (Radboud University Medical Center) will discuss the role of nuclear imaging in immune-oncology drug development, illustrating how advanced imaging approaches can support therapeutic innovation and clinical translation.

Multimodal Imaging Workflows

This session will showcase how complementary imaging technologies can be combined to provide a more comprehensive understanding of biological processes and disease mechanisms.

Dieter Fuchs (Market Development & Pre-Clinical Applications Manager, FUJIFILM VisualSonics) will present how preclinical imaging technologies can support research workflows and contribute to more efficient study design. (Title to be confirmed.)
Irma Mahmutovic Persson (Lund University) will present "From Study Design to Data Generation: Optimizing Multimodal Preclinical Research", focusing on strategies to integrate multiple imaging modalities and generate high-quality, reproducible datasets.