IPAM is a facility for in vivo imaging of animal models. We offer access to cutting-edge instruments and training courses for most intravital imaging techniques.

Application portfolio:

We offer access to real-time, non-invasive imaging of tissues in anesthetized living animals (mostly rodents). The main applications are:

• Fluorescence imaging of calcium dynamics at the cell scale,
• Tracking fluorescent molecules in tissues,
• Superficial (e.g., skin) or in-depth (e.g., organs of the abdominal cavity) imaging for the anatomical (e.g., wall thickness, cavity diameter), functional, and hemodynamic (e.g., vascular flow, tissue perfusion, myocardium contraction) characterization of tissues.
• Non-invasive monitoring of tumour progression and characterization of candidate novel therapeutic molecules.

Our equipment allows the longitudinal and multimodal follow-up of animals (each individual is its own control) to assess the normal biological functions or their alteration by a pathology. To address specific questions, we also develop innovative and customized tools for image acquisition and analysis.

Main Expertise/Service:

We have developed a solid expertise in different complementary in vivo imaging modalities, including luminescence-based imaging (fluorescence, micro-CT, micro-single photon emission computed tomography - micro-SPECT, positron emission tomography – PET) and high-resolution ultrasound imaging. These instruments are housed at the Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, the Arnaud de Villeneuve Hospital, and the Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier.

IPAM strives to offer to its users:

• New technical and methodological solutions. We offer a personalized support, from setting up a project to its finalization. These new solutions will then be proposed for new projects.
• The most modern equipment for in vivo dynamic imaging with high sensitivity for a better spatial resolution.
• Continuing training of our staff adapted to the users’ needs.

Acess and service policy:

The facility is open to academic and private-sector researchers. The facility services are fee-based. Some projects that require the development of new technological or methodological solutions may take the form of a scientific collaboration.

IPAM has the GPTR label (Occitanie region) and receives funding from different institutions, including France BioImaging (PIA). It implements an ISO 9001 quality management approach.

Publications

Applications note

Platform website