Joint Training in Clinical Pharmacology and Imaging

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The joint training program represents a collaboration between the Departments of Radiology and Clinical Pharmacology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. It is an innovative training program designed to provide professionals with a high level of expertise in clinical pharmacology and advanced functional and molecular imaging for positions in academia and in the pharmaceutical industry.

Fellows will be trained in the principles of Clinical Pharmacology and biomedical imaging methodologies so that they become proficient in the application of imaging as surrogate and/or biomarker outcome measures of drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy. Preliminary data acquired during this training period will be used to apply for peer-reviewed federal funding.

PROGRAM DIRECTORS

James W. Fletcher, MD

David A. Flockhart, MD, PhD

PROGRAM FACULTY

Gary D. Hutchins, PhD
Todd Skaar, PhD
Stephen Hall, PhD

DIDACTIC PROGRAM

1. Physics: The structure of matter, modes of radioactive decay, particle and photon emissions, and interactions of radiation with matter.


2. Instrumentation: The principles of instrumentation used in detection, measurement, and imaging of radioactivity with special emphasis on PET, PET/CT, devices, and associated electronic instrumentation and computers employed in image production and display. Instruction will be provided in the instrumentation principles involved in magnetic resonance imaging (including fMRI, diffusion imaging, and dynamic contrast enhanced MRI) and multi-slice computed tomography.


3. Mathematics, statistics, and computer sciences: probability distributions; medical decision making; basic aspects of computer structure, function, programming, and processing; applications of mathematics to tracer kinetics; compartmental modeling; and quantification of physiologic processes.


4. Radiation biology and protection: biological effects of ionizing radiation, means of reducing radiation exposure, calculation of the radiation dose, evaluation of radiation overexposure, medical management of persons overexposed to ionizing radiation, management and disposal of radioactive substances, and establishment of radiation safety programs in accordance with federal and state regulations.


5. Radiopharmaceuticals: reactor, cyclotron, and generator production of radionuclides; radiochemistry; pharmacokinetics; and formulation of radiopharmaceuticals. Specifically, instruction should include the chemistry of byproduct materials for medical use; ordering and unpacking radioactive materials safely and performing the related radiation surveys; calibrating instruments used to determine the activity of dosages and performing checks for proper operation of survey meters; calculating and safely preparing patient or human research subject dosages; using administrative controls to prevent a medical event involving the use of unsealed byproduct material; using procedures to contain spilled byproduct material safely and using proper decontamination procedures; eluting generator systems appropriate for preparation of radioactive drugs for imaging and localization studies or that need a written directive; measuring and testing the eluate for radionuclide purity, and processing the eluate with reagent kits to prepare labeled radioactive drugs; and administering dosages of radioactive drugs for uptake, dilution, excretion, and imaging and localization studies.