Capture the Glow
A multispectral fluorescence imaging system is now available to OSUCCC – James investigators through the Wright Center of Innovation’s Molecular Imaging Agents Laboratory.
The Maestro EX, manufactured by Cambridge Research & Instrumentation, has a number of advantages over CT and other instruments that rely on radiation, says Michael Tweedle, PhD, director of the Molecular Imaging Agents Laboratory. It handles up to three animals at a time, captures imaging data in seconds, and is safer for both animals and investigators.
“The instrument works best with target concentrations typical for fluorescence experiments, not bioluminescence,” says operator Michelle Carlton. It is sometimes possible for investigators to test the suitability of a given model on a trial basis, and some introductory time on the machine may be available at no cost. “We want to offer investigators a low-risk opportunity to evaluate novel approaches to answering questions relevant to their research,” Tweedle says.
The James Is a Leapfrog Group 'Top Hospital'
The Leapfrog Group, a national coalition of public and private purchasers of employee health coverage who collectively work to improve health care quality, has included the OSUCCC – James on its 2010 list of 65 “top hospitals.”
The Dec. 1 announcement marks the second consecutive year that the OSUCCC – James has been listed among the group’s “top hospitals,” which were selected from a field of nearly 1,200 university and other teaching hospitals, children’s hospitals and community hospitals in rural, suburban and urban settings. The selection is based on results from a Leapfrog Group national survey that measures hospital performance in key areas of patient safety and quality. The results, which Leapfrog calls “the most complete picture available of a hospital’s quality and safety,” are posted at www.leapfroggroup.org.
Full-Service Breast Care Under One Roof
The new JamesCare Comprehensive Breast Center, located near The Ohio State University Medical Center, began welcoming patients in mid-January. The four-story, multidisciplinary center combines all facets of breast care in one location, including annual mammograms, complete diagnostic services, comprehensive breast-cancer treatment, access to clinical trials, reconstructive breast surgery, medical nutrition services, survivorship support, risk counseling, financial counseling, a library and resource center, a meditation room and private and semi-private waiting areas.
The center also houses Hope’s Boutique, a shop that offers a full range of products and services designed to help women look and feel their best during and after cancer treatment. The front of the new boutique is a public shopping area, while the back offers privacy and assistance with bra and prosthesis fittings.
A Rewarding Ride
Pelotonia 10 boosts cancer research at the OSUCCC – James by $7.8 million
On Nov. 27, The Ohio State University cancer program received a check for $7.8 million in funds raised by the second annual Pelotonia, a grassroots bicycle tour held in August to generate support for cancer research at the OSUCCC – James. The 2010 event attracted 4,047 riders, nearly double the number who participated in the 2009 inaugural Pelotonia, which raised $4.5 million.
Some of the money is funding cancer-related research by 64 talented Ohio State undergraduates, and 10 “idea grants” that support the preliminary work of OSUCCC investigators whose promising ideas falloutside of the mainstream.