Biological Resources Imaging Laboratory (BRIL)

The MRI facility at the UNSW’s BRIL is one of the most powerful small-animal MRIs in Australia and is able to provide users with state-of-the-art small animal and sample imaging, and MRI biomarker assessment. As part of the National Imaging Facility the scanner can be accessed by researchers from institutions from all over the country.

The Si78 is a molecular imaging instrument capable of sequential Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and MicroComputed Tomography (MicroCT) acquisitions. It is designed for rodents (mice and rats) and is capable of high throughput PET-CT imaging (up to 3 mice).

The VisualSonics Vevo3100 offers touch screen interface, fully digitised image processing and improved signal to noise ratio. It uses solid-state transducers which offer higher resolution at multiple focal depths. The system offers superior resolution down to 30μm, a wide range of frequencies (13-56 MHz) and a large field of view. Importantly, the Vevo3100 offers a comprehensive imaging and processing package.

The MILabs U-CT installed in 2019 is a cutting-edge preclinical micro-CT scanner which has expanded BRIL's imaging capabilities by allowing larger sample sizes and shorter scan times.

Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is an emerging molecular imaging modality that measures the location and concentration of superparamagnetic nanoparticle tracers in vivo (typically Iron Oxide, SPIOs) by detecting their response to spatially dependent magnetic fields. In Q1 2020 UNSW has installed a Magnetic Insight Momentum pre-clinical MPI scanner as the first facility in Australia to provide this novel technology

The IVIS® SpectrumCT pre-clinical in vivo imaging system provides a highly sensitive means to image bioluminesence and/or fluorescent reporters in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) of transgenic animals or cells expressing luciferase requires the administration of luciferin bioluminescent substrate prior to imaging. In a typical luciferase imaging setting, imaging of the animals takes between 10-20 minutes for each set, however this can increase to 45 minutes depending on the model.