working towards 2014, presenting VU University Medical Imaging Center
we see a bright future
it is better
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VU University Medical Imaging Center
“Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.” Jonathan Swift (1667-1745)
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to see earlier
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VU University Medical Imaging Center
Our Dream, Our Vision by Elmer Mulder
It is with great pleasure that we share with you our plans for the VU University Medical Imaging Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In 2014 the doors to a fully integrated and state-of-the-art imaging facility will open, allowing us to gain deeper insight into the complex structures and functions of the human body. With the imaging center we can continue to be a center of excellence, and usher in a new era in patient care, research and education. The activities here will have far-reaching social and economic benefits for health sciences and industry, both in the Amsterdam region and beyond. The Imaging Center gives good reason for great enthusiasm. Few technologies today show so much potential to simultaneously improve patient care, facilitate an essential shift towards individually tailored medicine, and help reduce the ever-increasing burden of the cost of health care, as do imaging techniques. As an example of the challenges ahead, figures from the US indicate that only 25% of drugs prescribed against cancer are effective. We consider imaging to be a key tool in selecting the right treatment for the right patient at the right time.
us to reduce the burden of these diseases by having at hand the best techniques and expertise, in a comfortable, efficient and welcoming patient environment built for sustainability. The massive complexity of the diseases under investigation requires an integrated and multi-disciplinary approach, as do the latest hybrid technologies that combine radiological, nuclear and optical imaging. Progress requires the contributions of a wide range of scientific and clinical disciplines, patient care networks and industrial partners. Our broad range of expertise and superb industrial networks allow us to look forward to these challenges with confidence. We hope that you will share our excitement about the VU University Medical Imaging Center, and we call on you to join us in realizing a bright future.
The social value added by the continuous improvement of imaging techniques will be felt most profoundly by our patients, especially those at the mercy of such debilitating illnesses as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and auto-immune diseases. Imaging is indispensable at all stages of the health care continuum including early diagnosis, treatment selection and planning, realtime guidance of therapies and outcome monitoring. The Imaging Center will allow
VU University Medical Imaging Center
Elmer Mulder Chairman of the Board, VU University Medical Center
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Contents
Our dream, our vision 05 Executive Summary 08 Introduction VUmc & VU 12
The Imaging Landscape What is medical imaging? 16 Current imaging techniques 18 The impact of imaging on healthcare 20 4 trends in imaging 22 Imaging: the growth industry 24 Welcome to the future. Our future 26
VU University Medical Imaging Center Creating synergy 30 The Hub 32 Activities at the Imaging Center 34 ‘Green’ building, sustainable architecture 38
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VU University Medical Imaging Center
The Impact of the VU University Medical Imaging Center Healthcare 42 Research and education 44 Industrial collaborations 46 Knowledge and intellectual property 48 Employment and economic growth 50 Costs of healthcare 52 Amsterdam, focus on life sciences 54
Join Us And be part of an international network of experts 57 The parts of the sum 58 All in the name of patient care 60
The Expert Team Our Key Opinion Leaders 64 Advisory Board 68
Managing the project 70 List of Abbreviations 72 Colophon and Contact 74
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VU University Medical Imaging Center
Illustration by Terralemon
Top quality research and patient care integrated in a modern and flexible building
Executive Summary We present with pleasure our plans for VU University Medical Imaging Center, a new facility on the VUmc campus to be completed in 2014. This cutting edge research and patient care initiative is the result of a collaboration between VUmc and VU University, situated on our campus in the Zuidas business and knowledge district of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Medical imaging, encompassing radiology, nuclear medicine and optical imaging, is a vital and versatile set of tools in modern healthcare. Radiology provides anatomical and physiological detail of the human body at very high spatial and temporal resolution. Nuclear imaging techniques provide detailed images of the body’s physiology, metabolism and molecular function through the use of radioactive tracers, while the more experimental advanced optical techniques, such as optical coherence tomography, display incredibly detailed, real-time structural and functional information of most hollow organs at the cellular level. Traditionally, these three disciplines have operated separately, with little or no interaction or knowledge sharing occurring between groups. All three areas of imaging play a substantial role in the provision of advanced healthcare, and imaging has become a key technology due to advancements in both the scope and accuracy of its many applications. Imaging allows earlier detection and unambiguous identification of disease during diagnosis, facilitates high-precision treatment planning
and real-time guidance during surgical, radiotherapeutic and medicinal interventions, as well as providing early response information. Furthermore, therapeutic outcomes can be accurately monitored. In short, imaging is an indispensible tool for the healthcare provider, and technological innovation at top institutes such as VUmc & VU continues to enhance its value. Technological innovation in imaging can be ascribed four main focal points: improvements to scanner technology, increasing robustness and applicability of radio-tracers and other contrast agents, greater IT handling and data manipulation capabilities, and the trend towards multimodal imaging techniques, such as PET-CT, PET-MRI and MRI-HIFU. Collaboration between the three fields of medical imaging has resulted in hybrid technologies, which combine the strongest characteristics of each of the constituent technologies. It is clear that if innovation is to continue, complete integration of the three disciplines is needed. The future of imaging involves a more patient-centered approach, with
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specialization around physiological and disease boundaries, not the technologybased boundaries that radiology, nuclear and optical imaging formerly represented. This suggests that a new paradigm is required, complete with multi-modal imaging specialists and research and education facilities built to reflect the multi-disciplinary nature of imaging innovation. The Imaging Center will be at the cutting edge of this trend, heralding a new era in medical imaging in the Netherlands and Europe. A great deal of expertise resides within VUmc and VU in the imaging domain, and in the clinical research and patient care fields of oncology, neurology and immunology, we count among Europe’s leading institutions. This strength in fundamental, applied and clinical R&D is the basis for building an integrated medical imaging facility at the campus, in order to bring medical imaging firmly into the future. The Imaging Center will contain all the most modern imaging technologies, including those not yet in clinical use, such as PET-MRI and OCT. The facilities will be housed in a building designed for flexibility and sustainability, built and operated with BREEAM certification. The departments of radiology and nuclear medicine will merge, and will work closely together with the LaserLab for optical imaging. The facilities will also house cyclotron capacity, operated by our industrial partner, BV Cyclotron, and our radionuclide center will house significant GMP capacity
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for radio-tracer research and production. Support from the department of Physics and Medical Technology, use of phase I/ II trial facilities, and the expertise of the Image Analysis Center in quantification and analysis will complete the spectrum of activities at the center. The substantial economic activities arising from the center will be coordinated and supported by the Technology Transfer Office. The center’s activities will revolve around three main areas, namely technical innovation, patient-centered imaging and training, and data analysis and consulting. Innovation has at its root the need to improve patient welfare, and efforts are always directed towards this end. Key areas open to innovation are in multi-modality imaging techniques, tracer chemistry, kinetic modelling and quantification methods, molecular imaging, preclinical and clinical validation, image-guided interventions, data processing and integration, and medical technology assessment. Research will also be directed towards the pharmaceutical and biotech industries’ growing requirements for imaging-enabled drug discovery and testing, which will aid the move towards personalized medicine. Clinical imaging and training have as their goal client-friendliness, reduction of patient stress, and goal-oriented operation, achieved by utilizing workflows designed for maximum efficiency with integrated reporting and consulting methods. The
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center will aim to achieve industry best practice standards in reporting times.
high-tech start-ups, spin-ins and revenues through licensing and research contracts.
A crucial element of the exploitation strategy of the Imaging Center will be to extend our already extensive networks with industry and other research groups for translational research. By conducting research through our multi-disciplinary research institutions and in close collaboration with our numerous patient groups, the ‘bench-tobedside’ success chances will be maximized. Furthermore, our considerable expertise in the entire spectrum of necessary capabilities for drug discovery continues to draw interest from the pharmaceutical industry, biotech, imaging equipment manufacturers and imaging service industries, as they seek innovative research partners to help develop the next generation of technologies and medicines. We will provide access to state-of-the-art infrastructure, data and research results, and we have considerable in-house expertise in all areas of imaging.
Amsterdam provides a perfect backdrop for the formation of a high-tech cluster due to its excellent communications infrastructure, and the Zuidas in specific is an excellent location for business development. Significant levels of public funding have been committed to stimulate the region’s competitiveness, and Amsterdam is a direct beneficiary of this drive, through such initiatives as the Amsterdam Innovatie Motor, the Life Sciences Center Amsterdam, as well as national and European translational research efforts, such as CTMM and EATRIS.
The activities at the Imaging Center will result in significant output of knowledge and innovation, which will be leveraged to generate commercial activity and encourage a high-tech business cluster to develop in the Amsterdam region. This will have a magnet effect for existing firms, as well as be a major attraction for talented and highly qualified personnel. The combined effect will be significant economic growth in the form of employment generation,
This position paper is a call to all stakeholders interested in the development of life sciences and healthcare innovation, in the domain of medical imaging, to join VU University Medical Imaging Center in fulfilling the promise that innovation in imaging holds. By plugging into our international network of knowledge institutions, medical technology partners and pharmaceutical pioneers, together we can realize the full potential of medical imaging as a vital tool to improve patient care and pharmaceutical R&D efficiency, as well as reduce the cost of healthcare provision.
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Introducing
VU University Medical Center knowledge makes us better
VU University Medical Center (VUmc) has as its core activities patient care, education and scientific research. The outcomes derived from the academic programs and research undertaken here are ultimately for the goal of improvements in patient care. In an average year, 38,000 patients are admitted to the hospital, with a further 300,000 visiting the outpatient center and 40,000 receiving emergency treatment. A staff of around 7,000 professionals and trainees ensures the smooth and efficient running of the Medical Center. The scientific research carried out at the VU University Medical Center is closely linked to issues that are important both for the hospital itself and for society in general, with its main focal areas being oncology, neurology, immunology, vital function and extramural research. The aim of our research is to expand knowledge (fundamental research) and to apply this
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knowledge to the health service (strategic and applied research). The research output translates to approximately 2,000 publications and reports per year, of which around 100 are doctoral theses. For more information about the areas in which we are spearheading efforts in research and patient care, please see page 44. The educational activities of the VUmc cover several areas, notably the Doctor of Medicine program, encompassing a broad range of specialized medical programs, as well as specialized continuation courses in nursing. The curricula anticipate the requirements to be met by 21st century physicians, take account of the latest developments in educational theory and is more in keeping with the student’s existing educational background. Overall, the Medical Center has around 2,000 students following an academic program. www.vumc.nl
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Introducing
VU University inspiring, innovative and involved
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam – meaning ‘Free University’ and referring to freedom from state and church interference - opened its doors to students in 1880. The university has grown considerably over the last century, and today comprises twelve faculties and a diverse student body numbering 23,000. At VU University, diversity & excellence go hand in hand. The tripartite mission of VU University is to be inspiring, innovative and involved. The staff and students contribute towards these goals through top quality fundamental and applied research, as well as excellence in education and training. The research conducted here and at the Medical Center, by virtue of the proximity to one another and the benefits that can be found in collaboration, takes a decisively multi-disciplinary form, beyond the excellence displayed within the disciplines themselves. Besides the twelve faculties, there are a further twelve inter-disciplinary research institutes, where researchers have joined forces to share their knowledge and expertise. www.vu.nl
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Illustration by Bryan Christie
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VU University Medical Imaging Center
The Imaging Landscape
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What is medical imaging? Medical imaging is the visualization of body parts, tissues, or organs, for use in clinical diagnosis, treatment and disease monitoring. Imaging techniques encompass the fields of radiology, nuclear medicine and optical imaging and image-guided intervention.
Radiology Radiological methods provide the anatomical and physiological detail of the human body at very high spatial and temporal resolution. Images can be enhanced by the use of contrast agents. This discipline covers methods such as ultrasound, CT, X-ray and MRI.
Nuclear Medicine
Optical Imaging
Nuclear imaging techniques such as PET and SPECT display remarkable detail in the body’s physiology, metabolism and molecular function through the use of radioactive tracers.
Optical imaging techniques can display real-time structural and functional information of most hollow organs at the cellular level. The high resolution of these images can reveal abnormalities, for example by using optical tracers specific for tumor cells. This technique is still in early stages of development.
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The Imaging Landscape
Illustration by Terralemon
Current imaging techniques
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VU University Medical Imaging Center
Optical Imaging
Ultrasound
The use of visible, ultraviolet, and near-infrared light to generate high resolution images in real time.
Pressure wave (sound) with a very high frequency to create a visual representation by the use of the reflections of the sound.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Functional MRI (fMRI)
A visualization of the detailed internal structure of the body, through the use of a powerful magnetic field. This technique is especially useful in neurological (brain), oncological, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular imaging
PET/SPECT In PET and SPECT imaging, radionuclides are combined with other chemical compounds or pharmaceuticals to form radiopharmaceuticals. These radiopharmaceuticals, once administered to the patient, can render 3-D images of the extent of disease-process in the body, based on the cellular function and physiology.
X-ray & X-ray Fluoroscopy Radiographs obtained using X-rays can be used to identify a wide spectrum of pathologies. To make an X-ray image, short X-ray pulses illuminate the body or limb, with radiographic film placed behind it.
MR spectroscopy
Functional MRI or functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is a type of specialized MRI scan. It measures the hemodynamic response (change in blood flow) related to neural activity in the brain or spinal cord, and is one of the most recently developed forms of neuroimaging.
Whereas MRI only gives information about the structure of the body, MR spectroscopy reveals biochemical information about the tissues of the human body.
Image-guided intervention
Computer Tomography (CT)
Image-guided intervention is the general term used for any medical procedure where the physician employs tracked instruments in conjunction with images obtained before or during the intervention, in order to guide the procedure. Most image-guided procedures are surgical, and are minimally invasive.
A three-dimensional image generated from a large series of two-dimensional X-ray images taken around a single axis of rotation.
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Illustration(s) by Bryan Christie
The Imaging Landscape
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Impact on initial diagnosis, staging & prognostication
Impact during the treatment process
Imaging techniques facilitate earlier detection and unambiguous identification of disease, leading to a clear diagnosis as a basis for treatment for the individual patient.
Current imaging techniques can give high-precision guidance during surgical, radiotherapeutic and medicinal interventions, and provide early response information.
These achievements in imaging capabilities lead to benefits for the patient through reduced stress arising from uncertainty, improved likelihood of being prescribed the optimal treatment, and greater chance of successful treatment outcomes.
Through these achievements, patient welfare is enormously increased by allowing a therapy that is more focused on the disease, resulting in preservation of healthy organ function, as well as the potential to optimize the treatment at an early stage.
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The impact of imaging on healthcare It is clear to see that the advances in imaging contribute significantly to improvements in patient care. Imaging has become a key medical technology due to advancements in both scope and accuracy of its many applications. Improved imaging of individual patients can result in more personalized treatment at higher efficacy and cost effectiveness.
Impact on outcome monitoring
Impact on healthcare costs
The recurrence of disease can be monitored accurately and early through the use of imaging techniques
Imaging can be of help in providing the right therapy for the right patient at the right time, thereby reducing costs to the minimum
Imaging plays a substantial role in detecting whether the final outcome of treatment has been successful or not. Increasing imaging sensitivity means that smaller and smaller deposits of disease can be delineated, allowing more timely and accurate detection of remission and recurrence of disease.
By matching the right treatment to the patient, maximum cost effectiveness can be achieved. The potential impact of this can best be illustrated by the example of medicinal therapies: the cost of drugs is high and increasing rapidly, while drug treatment is currently effective in only 40% of patients.
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The Imaging Landscape
4 trends in imaging There are a number of drivers of technological change which offer the potential to revolutionize imaging and its applications.
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Next generation scanners
Combined imaging modalities
Advances in the sensitivity of imaging means that diseases can be picked up at ever earlier stages.
The trend that has arguably the most scope for transformation of the imaging landscape is that of multi-modality imaging.
Being able to detect smaller and smaller deviations contributes greatly to the chances of successful detection and treatment. With resolution, ever since the first x-ray, this dimension has been the most consistent and common driver of technological innovation, and continues to improve diagnostic and analytical capacity. Scanners become more suited to real time navigation thanks to higher speed, for example for guiding in vivo optical biopsies.
Substantial gains in diagnostic power are obtained with hybrid scanners that can simultaneously supply multiple image types. CT and MRI contribute anatomical precision; fMRI and MRS add a physiological dimension; SPECT and PET – in combination with radioactive tracers – add molecular specificity, sensitivity and quantitative precision, while optical techniques in combination with fluorescent tracers provide highly detailed structural and molecular information. Following the significant medical gains extracted from the combination of PET with CT (and SPECT with CT), PET-MRI, and CT/MRI/PET with optical dual mode imaging are now under development.
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The digital highway
Radioactive and fluorescent tracers are establishing themselves as a breeding ground for collaborative research due to the increasing awareness of their value in diagnosis, prognosis, and (drug) response monitoring.
As our knowledge expands and research and trial size increases, so do the demands for data analysis and handling competences.
The link between tracers and new drug development continues to spur collaboration between pharmaceuticals firms, scanner manufacturers, suppliers of contrast agents and tracers and specialist research institutions. Combined these organizations have the knowledge and capability to undertake the complex mix of fundamental and applied research which will eventually lead to the age of personalized medicine.
Increases in computing and data storage power facilitate the quest for greater logistical efficiency, as well as the need for advanced data analysis capabilities during the research and clinical trial processes.
Illustration by Bryan Christie
Radiopharmacy, a rising star
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The Imaging Landscape
Imaging: the growth industry
Overall, the longterm prospects for imaging research are bright
The trend in imaging and its services as an industry is of long-term growth, thanks to technological innovation, increasing market uptake and rapidly increasing demand for personalized medicine. Refinement in technology is leading to an expanded scope of applications across the entire healthcare continuum. Furthermore, it is increasingly clear that advanced imaging techniques are an indispensable part of the healthcare service offering (such as PET-CT which has in the US, where statistics are available, an annual growth rate of over 10% in scanner sales). Imaging service industries show high growth too. For instance, imaging IT services in the US in 2004 grew by 16% to a $2.2 billion industry in 2005. Moreover, imaging is starting to become an integrated part of the capital-intensive field of new drug development and applications.
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Establishing growth
An important factor in the ongoing development of imaging technology is the gradual shift towards the integration of previously separate disciplines of radiology and nuclear medicine. Imaging now has an irrevocably multi-disciplinarian character, and by virtue of the synergies to be extracted from the various technologies the scope for significant scientific, healthcare and economic progress is enormous. An example of the goals of such crossdisciplinary collaboration is the design, validation and implementation of contrast agents that can more accurately measure and illustrate a specific disease.
Close collaboration between all fields in healthcare is irrevocable However, as difficult as this may seem, it is essential to the future development of innovative therapies, that these groups are able to communicate and collaborate in a structured manner and in a stimulating environment. Therefore, in order to allow unfettered growth, imaging research and development must embrace the need to cooperate.
In order for this complex process to take place, tight cooperation is required between attending physician, imaging specialist, physicist, pharmacologist, pathologistanatomist, molecular biologist and chemist. This is a challenging undertaking, because these groups are spread between research institutions, care institutions, pharmaceutical firms and scanner manufacturers.
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The Imaging Landscape
Welcome to the future. Our future. VU university medical center (VUmc) and VU university (VU) in Amsterdam have departments active in all major fields of imaging: radiological, nuclear and optical. These are embedded in an environment of top translational research and healthcare. Capabilities at VUmc/VU A valuable part of the department of nuclear medicine is the radionuclide center, active in the development of tracers, comprising hot cells and GMP manufacturing capacity. A spin-off company Cyclotron BV at the VUmc/ VU campus supplies the Netherlands with PET tracers, and is expanding its territory abroad. Moreover, data analysis centers process and interpret imaging data from all over the world. In the areas of molecular imaging, oncology and immunology, as well as neurology, VUmc enjoys a position among
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the world’s top institutions. Oncology and immunology rank first in the Netherlands and 7th in Europe in the standardized citation index (Eur.J.Cancer, 2008). In addition we claim a national number one position in the neurology fields of Alzheimer’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis. In the field of imaging, long term collaborations exist with several of the largest and most innovative biotech, pharmaceutical and equipment firms in the world.
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Establishing close cooperation in the future The groups indicated in the diagram are all crucial parties in the cyclical process of discovery and application, the fundamental processes within the VUmc/VU. By encouraging closer cooperation between the departments, progress can be made more quickly, which will allow VU Medical Imaging Center to maintain its global position as a top institute for imaging.
In view of today’s complex challenges in healthcare, the demand for improved quality of care and rising healthcare costs, external partnerships are the only way to address these issues. By working together with industry and healthcare providers, commercial applications and industrial innovation can be spurred.
Key Opinion Leaders; research institutes
Radionuclide Center
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Radiology Nuclear Medicine & PET research
Phase I/II units
LaserLaB Amsterdam Nuclear Medicine & PET research
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Physics & Medical Technology
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all imaging behind one door
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VU University Medical Imaging Center
Creating synergy The new center will facilitate the cohesion of the multi-modality (hybrid) technologies that lie at the heart of innovation in image techniques, as well as create a patient care center where all imaging procedures are performed in a healing and sustainable environment.
Patient centered The Imaging Center promises the patient a friendly and professional environment, where they can undergo the most advanced imaging procedures. Given the stressful circumstances for patients, it is of utmost importance to be able to offer a comfortable and welcoming experience free of long waiting times, along with a smooth referral process by and to medical specialists.
Knowledge hub Multi-modality imaging experts are trained in the most advanced techniques in the areas of Oncology and Immunology, Neurology, and Cardiology, thereby creating a knowledge hub in imaging within the main fields in medicine.
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VU University Medical Imaging Center
Attraction of top talent Access to renowned imaging experts and state-of-the-art facilities for our students, residents, and PhDs will attract top research talent.
Economic activity Industrial partners generate economic activity on a large scale in exchange for access to the infrastructure, equipment, patient cohorts, imaging experts and an extensive imaging network.
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The Hub The Imaging Center will act as the hub and incubator for all imaging activities at VUmc/VU. The building design and functionality will facilitate the center's focus on excellent patient care, technical imaging innovation, education and collaboration.
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The whole is greater than the sum of its parts Radiology and the Imaging Analysis Center
Nuclear Medicine & PET Research
Optimization of imaging techniques to understand patho-physiological mechanisms in neurological, oncological and cardiovascular disease. Implementation of structural and functional imaging protocols for early diagnosis and response monitoring. Development and implementation of advanced (quantitative) imaging techniques and image-guided therapy. The Image Analysis Center (IAC) serves as an academic Contract Research Organization (CRO) for therapy monitoring in multicenter drug studies.
Development and application of PETtechnology with a focus on nuclear tracers and PET quantification, data analysis & training and clinical (cost) effectiveness studies. The department comprises a radionuclide center with hot cells and fully licensed GMP facilities.
Technology Transfer Office, TTO Managing of external partnerships, contracting and knowledge transfer. TTO carries out the center’s valorization strategy through active intellectual property portfolio management and business development.
Physics and Medical Technology
BV Cyclotron Fully licensed commercial partner for tracer manufacture and distribution of an array of PET tracers within the Netherlands and internationally. With four cyclotrons it is one of the largest cyclotron sites in Europe
The LaserLaB Amsterdam Research on the interaction of light with matter, cells and tissue. Development of advanced laser systems and diagnostic techniques for future clinical applications. LaserLaB Amsterdam is part of LaserLaB Europe, a consortium of 17 European centers.
Applied research and innovation in image acquisition, processing and quantification. Technical center for calibration and maintenance services.
Technical backbone Lab facilities
Equipment
The activities carried out in the (radio) chemical labs and hot cells form a vital element of the Imaging Center’s research and development efforts. Here the tracers and contrast agents necessary for multimodality imaging are designed and manufactured. In addition, tissue culture and animal labs are available to perform mechanistic and proof-of-principle studies.
In terms of imaging facilities, all equipment will be housed on-site, which include conventional radiography, echography, CT, PET, SPECT, MRI, MEG, as well as imageguided intervention suites, and optical and hybrid imaging technologies. By housing these in one integrated center, patient flow and efficiency will be optimized.
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Activities at the Imaging Center The operative set-up of the imaging center will follow three broad streams, each of which will have separate characteristics, but will be characterized by a high degree of interdependence.
Imaging innovation Patient-centered imaging and training Data analysis and consulting
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Imaging Center activities
Imaging innovation Fed by patient care requirements, research institutes and fundamental science, our aim is progress in imaging techniques. In collaboration with external groups, the outcome will be top quality translational research from molecular design to clinical validation and implementation. Generation of validated end-products is a priority in this function, and requires not only biological, chemical and physical expertise, but also mathematical (kinetic) modeling is essential. Because a high degree of technical expertise is a requirement here, the group is multi-disciplinary in composition, and acts in close contact with fundamental
life science researchers. For this reason the VUmc/VU life sciences institutes will be involved in the elucidation of the basic characteristics of diseases and the development of imaging techniques. Key areas open to innovation are in multi-modality imaging techniques, tracer chemistry, kinetic modeling and quantification methods, molecular imaging, preclinical and clinical validation, image-guided interventions, data processing and integration, and medical technology assessment.
“With our diseasespecific tracers we will enable faster drug development and earlier, more accurate diagnosis.�
Prof. Dr. Guus van Dongen
Prof. Dr. Johannes de Boer
Dr. Bert Windhorst
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“We are an international multimodality imaging and training center for physicians, physicists and radiochemists.�
Prof. Dr. Otto Hoekstra
Prof. Dr. Kees van Kuijk
Imaging Center activities
Patient-centered imaging and training Delivery of top quality imaging for patient care, utilizing workflows designed for maximum efficiency with integrated reporting and consulting methods. The goal is client-friendliness, reduction of patient stress, and goal-oriented operation. Provision of learning material (including e-learning modules) and education in clinical imaging for students, doctors, fellows and post-academic purposes. Use of results yielded by the data analysis center to create the most up-to-date and relevant education material.
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Due to the scope of the imaging disciplines, multi-functional groups will be created to share expertise and bundle efforts. Besides training broadly capable imagers (who have knowledge of all techniques), there will also be training for specialists in the clinical expertise areas, such as in oncology and immunology, neurology, cardiovascular systems, pediatry and intensive care.
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Imaging Center activities
Data analysis and consulting To facilitate optimal interpretation of images, quantitative analysis is crucial, such as for objective therapy response monitoring. Our Radiology department, with its Image Analysis Center, as well as our Nuclear department have a leading international position in quantitative image analysis. The VU Medical Imaging Center offers a contribution of expertise in the technical design and execution of imaging studies, along with data analysis and interpretation services for third parties. These three capabilities act as a further advantage for industry to use VUmc as a research partner, and the need for uniform data assessment in multi-center studies will make the analysis team indispensable to research groups. Besides pharmaceutical companies, imaging CROs and external research groups regularly consult and contract in our imaging specialists as a partner. Activities also include teleconsulting for unusual clinical problems
Prof. Dr. Frederik Barkhof
Prof. Dr. Adriaan Lammertsma
This area has great potential for valorization projects that will end up as spin-outs. Commercialization of the intellectual property resulting from research is a central element of the operational strategy at the Imaging Center, and for this purpose it works closely with commercialization experts at the Technology Transfer Office at the VUmc/VU campus. Via this mechanism much of the high potential research which is conducted here can be successfully transferred to the clinic. The vast amounts of data harnessed in the center will be fed back into the education groups of the center, in order to keep training up-to-the-minute.
“We set global PET and MRI quantification standards and translate them into computerguided processing.�
Dr. Ronald Boellaard
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VU University Medical Imaging Center
‘Green’ building sustainable architecture Given the opportunity to start with a clean slate, the building will be designed and operated to the highest sustainability standards. The imaging activities to be conducted therein are resource intensive by nature, and thus there is a strong social responsibility to ensure that those resources are used in the most efficient and conscientious manner possible. With this in mind VUmc has set very ambitious design targets based on BREEAM certification, the ‘Environmental Assessment Method’ of buildings developed by the UK-based Building Research Establishment. This certification is based around the nine categories, listed below, each of which is scored
and the results combined qualitatively to end in an internationally recognized and comparable rating (there are more than 100,000 BREEAM certified buildings around the world to date) ranging from pass to outstanding along five possible scores:1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Management Health and Wellbeing Energy Transport Water Materials Waste Land Use & Ecology Pollution
Photography: DigiDaan
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VU University Medical Imaging Center
"With our Imaging Center we have a unique opportunity to set ambitious sustainability standards"
Images by: projectbureau Huisvesting VUmc
By building sustainability in as a fundamental criterion during the design phase, it is possible to achieve maximum results. This will further be ensured by continuously weighing up the functional and technical decisions with their environmental consequences. Such a comprehensive program will safeguard sustainability not only for the building, but also its fittings and equipment, as well as the processes that are conducted therein. By doing so, the organization sends a very clear message that it takes its responsibilities to society seriously, and the focus on maintaining its green credentials will, besides the obvious social benefits, act as an important marketing tool for attracting the top talent in research and patient care needed for such a high-tech project. An important element of the sustainable design will be the creation of a positive, welcoming and healthy environment for employees and patients alike.
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The Imaging Center will act as a stimulus to the current research, education and economic activities in the medical imaging environment. Both in the immediate vicinity of the VUmc/ VU and in the greater North-Holland region, as well as for the Netherlands, positive effects will be felt by a wide variety of stakeholders as a result of the efforts of the groups involved with the center. Introduction of such an advanced infrastructure node, along with its many research collaborations, improves Europe’s competitiveness in both fundamental and applied science. The stakeholder groups can be broadly defined as: those in industry; those involved with patient care, including the patients and patient groups themselves, physicians, insurance companies and governmental bodies; those involved in higher education related to medical imaging and medicine; researchers of both fundamental and applied sciences; and those active or potentially active in economic activities. How these groups will benefit is described overleaf.
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The Impact of the VU University Medical Imaging Center
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Patient-centered workflow We have the opportunity to create patientcentric processes that maximize efficiency, minimize unnecessary waiting times, while simultaneously optimizing resource utilization. The cornerstone of this approach is the implementation of a centralized planning and appointment system, which supports our clinical pathways and which is designed with lean-principles. Such a system will automatically schedule procedures optimally, as well as centrally keep electronic records, not only for fast and accurate access by imagers and clinicians but also to make possible evidence-based decisions. Such decisions have the goal of consistently selecting the best diagnostic path for each individual case as part of the total clinical management process. A further step will be to introduce as widely as possible the ‘walk-in’ system. As the name implies, waiting times are ultra-short, and this desirable goal will be sought for most imaging modalities. However, this is more challenging with nuclear procedures, due partly to necessary patient preparation measures (such as transient medication changes) and partly to the complex logistics of using isotopes. Here, the focus will be on maximizing efficiency and minimizing failures through further development of the already extensive quality control procedures in place. The outcome for the patient is increased welfare, through a reduction in unnecessary waiting times and the overall improvement in quality of care.
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Photography: DigiDaan
Cutting-edge equipment Our imaging equipment strategy comprises the use of state-of-the-art technology, with the flexibility to upgrade as technology advances, and to build in capacity to handle demand growth for the coming years. The center will house most of the equipment on-site, with the exception of the necessary capacity for the emergency ward. This centralized concept means that the physical positioning of the equipment, apparatus and hardware can be optimized to workflow. The efficiency gains translate into reduced bottlenecks, distances, and process waits. In the era of hybrid apparatus, the physical integration of the processes is a must. By having selected equipment at the emergency ward a 24-hour, 7 day-a-week imaging service will be available to inpatients. This has obvious benefits, especially for the very sick. For the remaining patient groups and modalities, a 12-hour, 6-day week will offer enhanced utilization and facilitate the requirements of our out-patient setting, and also of referrals from general practitioners and private clinics.
VU University Medical Imaging Center
The Impact On
Healthcare Intelligent design towards a better patient experience. Naturally, the long term objectives of the imaging center revolve around improvements in patient care. However, there are also several areas in which innovation will bring about immediate benefits for the patient, all of which will be introduced or further refined in the new center.
Comfortable, patientfriendly, healing environment
Best practice in reporting times The reporting times necessary for the differing modalities in imaging (the time measured from completion of an imaging procedure to the authorized report thereof) vary widely, and for the hybrid techniques is longer than desired, due to the need for interpretation by two specialists. Despite the heterogeneity of the reporting requirements, the experts at our center have set uniform stretch goals of 90% same-day reporting, and 95% reporting in under 48 hours. It is expected that in less than 5% of the cases more time will be necessary, and where possible will be limited to the more complex revisions and second opinions. Moreover, by training the imaging specialist of the future according to physiological areas, he/she will have expertise in all of the modalities used in hybrid techniques, thus image interpretation can be done by one specialist. Improvements in this area will result in reduced distress for patients, through reduced waiting times and quicker time to treatment.
Besides the extended opening hours, the Imaging Center will be designed specifically with the patient experience in mind. Patient flow will be optimized, with fast and accurate service from the staff at the welcome desks and information desks. Waiting areas will be comfortable and pleasant for children and adults alike. Examination rooms will be designed to allow the best possible throughput times, given the need for maximum privacy and comfort. Furthermore, a clear distinction will be made between ambulant and in-patient areas, assuring that the very sick are given as much privacy and comfort as possible.
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The Impact On
Research and education The Imaging Center forms a stimulating environment for multidisciplinary translational research and education, and contributes to innovation and sustainability of healthcare.
Imaging innovation through top research The center’s facilities will provide the ideal environment for the interdisciplinary research conducted by our research institutes. These institutes are:1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Cancer Center Amsterdam/V-ICI (cancer and immunology) Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam (brain) ICAR-VU (vital functions) MOVE (mobility) EMGO (extramural research)
The mainstay of imaging is, and will remain, cross sectional imaging, with an emphasis on structural imaging. The improved spatial and temporal resolution of imaging techniques like CT and MRI has revolutionized the ability to detect and monitor disease such as cancer and neurological disorders. Recent technical developments include brain and tumor perfusion methods, which display physiological information, and functional MRI allows non-invasive study of brain activity. Longitudinal imaging is increasingly used to monitor disease progression, determine the effect of treatment, and detect sideeffects. The advances of (endoscopic) optical
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techniques provide a further step towards increased resolution. Molecular imaging is a crucial element of translational research in most of the VUmc research institutes. Development of targetspecific contrast agents (‘tracers’) has become a key driver of innovations towards personalized medicine: applying the right therapy for the right patient at the right time. Molecular imaging can be of value for sensitive visualization and quantification of critical disease targets and targeting molecules at high resolution. Taken together, integrated structural and molecular imaging (PET-CT, SPECT-CT, PETMRI, optical-CT/MRI) bundle the expertise of all three domains to provide scientific and clinical excellence. Such outcomes require a truly multidisciplinary effort. Therefore, integrated cooperation between the present departments of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine together with the new Institute LaserLAB Amsterdam within this Imaging Center is essential to reach this goal.
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From bench to bedside Within the research institutes patient groups are defined for which VUmc offers excellent translational research programs, either for the whole duration of the disease trajectory or during specifically defined periods of disease. In order to carry out top translational research projects a wide range of relationships with pharmaceutical and medical device companies, together with regional hospitals and top European academic centers, have been created and will be expanded. All the necessary facilities and expertise required for translational research and clinical trials are already available within VUmc/VU, including clinical trial units, facilities for genomics & proteomics, molecular diagnostics, biobanking and immunohistochemistry, as well as a Drug Discovery Center. Our extensive IT infrastructure includes, among others, integrated EPD and research IT tools (caBIG), bioinformatics and genomic biostatistics facilities.
Education and Training Creating the best imagers – being a university hospital, VUmc will have on staff the best radiographers, imagers and imaging specialists, thanks to its extensive catalogue of in-house training programs. These range from basic radiography training to residencies in radiology and nuclear medicine, as well as several post-graduate courses and fellowships, for example morphological, molecular and interventional imaging, radiochemistry, quantitative imaging, as well as a range of courses in medical physics. As a reflection of the trends in the underlying technology, we will expand our focus on the training of multi-modality imaging specialists.
Complete ‘life science’ campus – integrating hospital and university Hospital and university next to each other provides a research and education environment in optima forma. All faculties will be built in order of relevance, the medical faculties thus closer to the hospital than say the arts faculty.
Photography: DigiDaan
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The Impact On
Industrial collaborations The Imaging Center will provide excellent opportunities for cooperation with industry in research into both fundamental science and applied technology.
1. A valuable partner to the pharmaceutical and biotech industry The Imaging Center will be particularly suited to supporting the pharmaceutical industry’s requirements for imaging technologies in their efforts to design, test and select novel therapies more effectively and at lower cost than in the past. The unique and expert range of capabilities offered by our research groups and commercial partners makes the Imaging Center a natural choice for pharma, and a host of research contracts proves the point. This expertise will have a significant economic impact on the Amsterdam region and Europe, as investments are made by pharma in order to exploit the potential of imaging as a cost-cutting tool. In short, VUmc is in prime position to internalize the benefits to be gained from imaging-driven pharmaceutical innovation. As such VUmc will become leading imaging center within the European Advanced Translational Infrastructure in Medicine (EATRIS), an EU initiative to improve Europe’s competitiveness in drug development.
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2. A strategic partner for imaging industry
Access to state-of-the-art infrastructure and expertise VUmc/VU has a comprehensive infrastructure for facilitating optimal imaging-enabled translational research, among others including: • Understanding of biological and pathological processes • Validation of markers; • GMP-compliant tracer design, testing and production; • Pre-clinical and clinical multimodality imaging; • Design and testing of image-guided therapeutic interventions; • Technical development and calibration of imaging equipment, • Test result quantification and data processing, analysis and integration; • Cost-effectiveness evaluation. Further to this, VUmc/VU provides access to extensive networks of industrial partners such as pharmaceutical firms, biotech companies and imaging equipment manufacturers, as well as national and international academic and clinical consortia.
Access to top-quality research results and data A repository of advanced knowledge and data such as that created in the multidisciplinary environment of the Imaging Center represents an enormous opportunity for exploitation. The experts at the center will be available to provide support in protocols for quality assurance, quality control and calibration, data manipulation, as well as for access to data libraries for comparative and analytical studies.
"Effective collaboration with industrial and academic partners is the key to successful innovation"
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The Impact On
Knowledge and intellectual property By integrating all the relevant imaging disciplines a new era of innovation can commence.
Top re sea rch e
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Technology Transfer Office The professionals of the TTO perform a wide range of services, all related to transfer of knowledge. The Imaging Center initiative will lead to significant proliferation of applied knowledge and expertise in the medical imaging field. The generation of intellectual property, protected by patents, will provide the basis for innovation, and lead to social and economical stimulus for the region and beyond.
Three routes to the market Owing to the specialized nature of the expertise required for successful knowledge transfer and intellectual property management, dedicated support will be provided by the VUmc/VU Technology Transfer Office. The TTO professionals provide a broad spectrum of support services, including legal advice about the exchange of confidential information, materials or contract research, and assist with decision-making about patenting, licensing and start-ups. The intellectual property output of the Imaging Center will be commercially exploited in three ways, besides being the foundation for further ground-breaking research.
Spin-out development
Spin-in development
Developments in technology that show particular promise and fit within the core competences of VUmc/ VU will be commercialized by spinning out a start-up company. Professionally run by experienced entrepreneurs and financially independent, spin-outs contribute to regional growth and knowledge communities.
Organizations from both the public and private sectors will be interested in making use of the facilities and expertise here. This may result in companies setting up units in close proximity to the center. To date, several organizations have already expressed their interest in doing so. This will result in economic growth and a large increase in employment for the region.
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In- & out-licensing By licensing the rights to patents to companies, VUmc/VU encourages the transfer of knowledge to society that would otherwise not be possible to take forward, given their limited resources. By doing so VUmc/ VU can focus on its core competences, earn revenues for further research, and stimulate growth and innovation in the private sector.
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The Impact On
Employment and economic growth Amsterdam and the surrounding region will become the center of a strategically significant high-tech industry. By stimulating development in biotech and life sciences, the Imaging Center will be a key motor for growth and innovation. The mechanism for growth is clear:
VUmc/VU and its partners are in an excellent position to establish the Amsterdam region as a global player in imaging, resulting in substantial growth in the life sciences and health sector. This sector has been identiďŹ ed by the Dutch government as a key focus area for innovation.
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More facilities Provide the required expertise and infrastructure for development – VUmc/VU already has the complex blend of skills necessary for further development, while the Imaging Center will provide all the facilities necessary for cutting-edge research.
More collaboration Coordinate goal-oriented, multi-disciplinary projects that facilitate the knowledge-sharing necessary to make technological breakthroughs. Involve industry, research and patient-care groups and allow them to work together. Amsterdam will further strengthen its distinguished position in life sciences, in particular in the field of oncology and neurology. With respect to the latter, the Imaging Center will participate in the SPINOZA network.
More people, more jobs As a result of the cutting-edge research projects and the involvement of top quality institutions, highly qualified players from the research and industrial arenas will be attracted to become involved. The best people will go to the workplace with the best opportunities for ground-breaking work.
More economic activity The combination of top talent and top research will lead to the generation of intellectual property. Exploiting this output through start-ups and licensing will stimulate commercial activity.
More growth Grouping of spin-outs around the Imaging Center creates an incubator environment that facilitates positive internalization of knowledge across firms, as well as access to a pool of highly qualified personnel. In turn, existing firms will be enticed to establish operations in the area to take advantage of this cluster effect.
VU University Medical Imaging Center Photography: DigiDaan
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The Impact On
Costs of healthcare "It is evident that besides the patient healthcare providers, health insurers and the government will also benefit from the advances made at the Imaging Center."
Cost reduction The pharmaceutical industry is under severe pressure to seek novel means of extracting value in the R&D process, due in part to dwindling drug pipelines and the looming patent cliff that many firms face. Imaging has been identified as a key technology that can assist to that end. The current drug testing strategy of the industry involves early testing for safety and toxicity, and then later testing for efficacy. This strategy often leads to vast sums of money being spent on testing, only to discover later that the drug is not efficacious. In fact, for every ten drugs that enter clinical testing, only one will make it to market. Molecular imaging has been shown to be able to streamline this process if used to gather efficacy data early on in the trial process, by helping to abandon sub-optimal leads earlier in the costly testing process. It is for this reason that imaging is gaining greater strategic significance in the pharmaceutical R&D process, and that firms are actively seeking partnerships with experts in the field to further this capability. VUmc/VU, given its technology, top researchers, excellent partners and perfect location, is in the position to continue the excellent efforts in this important paradigm shift.
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Personalized medicine The era of blockbuster drugs that work for one and all seems to be slowly ebbing into history, leaving the complex and risky path to personalized medicine. Unraveling of the human genome has given us insights into the heterogeneous nature of many diseases, and innovation in medicine now can be targeted to smaller sub-groups of patients displaying specific disease characteristics. While very promising, the smaller market for targeted therapies results in vast cost penalties, with new drug regimes often costing over ₏50,000 per patient. Molecular imaging can provide support in this area on two levels. Firstly, by providing insights into their pharmacological behavior, drugs can be developed more effectively and cheaply. Secondly, improvements in scanning technologies give better diagnosis, prognosis and staging results, meaning that chosen therapies can be better matched to the disease and its stage. Furthermore, imaging has the ability to offer vital therapeutic feedback, giving early insight into the efficacy of the chosen treatment. In this way, patient suffering can be minimized and optimal treatment can be selected, increasing the patient’s prospects while reducing the costs of ineffective treatments. This improves both social welfare and slows the interminable rise of the cost of providing healthcare in the personalized medicine era.
Photography: DigiDaan
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The Impact On
Amsterdam, focus on life sciences An indispensible building block of such a large-scale project is the physical infrastructure that facilitates efficient communication and movement. Located in the Zuidas area of Amsterdam, the burgeoning business and knowledge center of the region, the Imaging Center is perfectly positioned to act as the center of an extensive network of partners.
Truck-loads of transport options In terms of connectivity the Zuidas (meaning ‘south axis’) area boasts an embarrassment of riches. Located just 6 minutes by train to Schiphol international airport, right next to the ring motorway, the area sits comfortably between the bustling city’s commercial and cultural riches and the green fields of the city’s largest park. The immediate area is served extensively by bus, tram, metro and train. With an 87.000m2 international conference center within 5 minutes, the historic city and its museums within 10 minutes, the convenience of the area is evident. Furthermore, Amsterdam (and the Zuidas itself once the planned rail developments are complete,) connects to Paris, Brussels, Frankfurt and London through an extensive high speed rail network. All in all, 6 million people live within 1 hour travel of the Zuidas. To date, over 400 companies have taken root in the area. Not only are Amsterdam’s physical endowments conducive to growth: boasting one of the world’s largest internet exchanges, the region has a virtual communications network built to handle the information explosion of the internet era.
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15 min. Amsterdam or Schiphol Airport
Deep and broad talent pool Amsterdam enjoys a position among Europe’s top five cities for quality-of-life, growth prospects and settlement of foreign companies. These factors, along with an excellent tertiary education system and high level of participation, make it a natural choice for organizations in need of highly educated staff. Amsterdam’s two universities and two university hospitals have around 40,000 students; in close proximity are several more, including Utrecht, Delft and Rotterdam. Combined with highly fluid job and real estate markets, labor mobility is excellent, giving competitive firms access to the country’s finest talents. Furthermore, the cosmopolitan and culturally rich nature of the city makes it a popular choice for international talent.
2 hours Brussel
3 hours London
Top-level support for the life sciences sector Identified as a key area in which the Netherlands and the EU wish to compete globally, the life sciences industry enjoys a very positive political climate. Significant levels of public funding have been committed to stimulate the country’s competitiveness, and Amsterdam is a direct beneficiary of this drive, through such initiatives as the Amsterdam Innovatie Motor, the Life Sciences Center Amsterdam, as well as national and European efforts, such as CTMM, The Center for Translational Molecular Medicine, and EATRIS, the European Advanced Translational Research Infrastructure. Overall, the Amsterdam metropolitan area serves as an excellent international hub, due to its broad economic basis, strong knowledge infrastructure, good physical and virtual connectivity, and its rich cultural backdrop and open, dynamic society.
8 hours New York
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Join Us If you share the goal of continuing the great strides towards improvements in healthcare that the medical imaging field has been making, we are very interested in hearing from you. Plug into our international network of knowledge institutions, medical technology partners and pharmaceutical pioneers, all sharing the common goal of imaging-enabled innovation.
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VU University Medical Imaging Center
…and be part of an international network of experts Our network is characterized by structured and goaloriented collaboration between research institutions, public bodies and the private sector, both in fundamental science and applied imaging technology. Residing within the Imaging Center will be the know-how and technologies that lie at the heart of every element of imaging-based innovation, from the basic biochemistry elucidating on the nature of biological targets, to the complex mathematical modeling that contributes so significantly to imaging capabilities. In a nutshell, we have at hand access to virtually all currently relevant imagingrelated expertise and infrastructure, either in-house or through our partners. We work closely with manufacturers of imaging technologies such as Philips; our mathematicians and physicists are instrumental in this area. We assist in developing novel tracers and testing of new drug therapies for leading international biotech and
pharmaceutical firms, with the support of our radiopharmaceutical partners such as BV Cyclotron and IBA Molecular. We conduct clinical studies in our phase I/II trial units with the logistical and analytical support of organizations such as the Center for Human Drug Research (CHDR), EORTC, and the Image Analysis Center. We are at the cutting edge of optical techniques with the support of the LaserLab and their European Research consortium, LASERLAB Europe, a 17-centre joint research initiative. These extensive networks are tightly bound to the imaging center, which will provide a remarkable opportunity for innovation, led by the knowledge spillovers to be gained from such a broad spectrum of collaborative partners.
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Join Us
The parts of the sum This initiative is driven by the dedication and ambition of the scientific team of the VUmc and VU. Success of the Imaging Center is made possible by the existence of several key underlying features that, once combined, are unique in Europe.
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Key opinion leaders Patient cohorts
Infrastructure
Our Key Opinion Leaders drive innovation at the center, both through their research prowess and their ability to attract the best partners to meet their research objectives. Their high standing in the scientific community is a vital source of legitimacy that assures continuity and excellence, facilitated by attracting research funding, top quality research talent and commercial partners, and access to patients.
The extensive research conducted at VUmc and VU, in the areas of diagnostics and therapeutics, places heavy demands on accessto-patient requirements. Our unique patient cohorts, driven by a strong reputation, availability of the latest techniques, location in a large metropolitan area with a high population and a number of hospitals and clinics that refer patients to VUmc, allow us to contribute significantly towards the testing of new medicines and technologies for the benefit of patients.
The Imaging Center’s infrastructure, not only by virtue of having the latest imaging technologies in-house, is well suited to successful innovation. The diverse research groups are organized both around applications (such as the disease-oriented research institutions mentioned earlier) and technologies (such as the radionuclide center and the drug discovery center). Moreover, the key rationale behind the Imaging Center is the opportunity for innovation afforded by the combination of the historically separate fields of nuclear medicine and radiology.
Certified GMP labs
Healthcare & research network:
The state-of-the-art GMPcertified labs at the radionuclide center, as well as those of our commercial partner, BV Cyclotron, facilitate top quality research and in vivo testing of the latest therapeutic agents and tracer-enabled diagnostic techniques. We have access to the biochemists and physicists essential to the tracer development market, to the facilities to produce both research and commercial GMP-grade tracers, as well as to the excellence of our partner IBA Molecular in the marketing and distribution of tracers, both regionally and internationally.
We participate in an extensive network of renowned institutes that focus on excellence in healthcare and health-related research. Instrumental ties with diverse goal-oriented groups such as the Center for Translational Molecular Medicine (CTMM), the nascent European Advanced Translational Research Infrastructure in Medicine (EATRIS), Top Institute Pharma (TIPharma), New Instruments in Medicine (NIG), Amsterdam Center for Neuro-imaging (SPINOZA) to name but a few, gives us access to substantial knowledge, infrastructure, research capacity and funding in the imaging research field.
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Join Us
All in the name of patient care
Our vision is based on the understanding that through cross-disciplinary research and development we can usher in a new era of innovation. Integration of the imaging disciplines, collaboration with top private sector companies, tight coordination between diseaseled research institutions and the support of innovationseeking funding groups can help us realize three very important objectives at the heart of biomedical research today, namely optimal patient care, personalized medicine and greater pharmaceutical productivity.
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If your organization can identify with these objectives, and you seek a partnership with top flight organizations engaged in research and development, then join us. We are always interested in groups of any nature that feel they can simultaneously contribute to and gain from the knowledge and expertise-sharing that underpins our organizations’ rapid and constructive developments towards better health outcomes.
In the end, it’s all about patient care. We hope you share our belief. “Care with vision”
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The Expert Team
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Our Key Opinion Leaders VU University Medical Imaging Center
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Key opinion leaders in 9
Imaging
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Prof. Dr. Frederik Barkhof, Radiology
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Prof. Dr. Adriaan Lammertsma, Nuclear Medicine & PET-research
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Prof. Dr. Johannes de Boer, LaserLaB Amsterdam
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Prof. Dr. Cornelis Stam, Clinical Neurophysiology & MEG
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Dr. Ronald Boellaard, Nuclear Medicine & PET-research
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Prof. Dr. Otto Hoekstra, Nuclear Medicine & PET-research
Dr. Bert Windhorst, Nuclear Medicine & PET-research, Radionuclide Center
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Prof. Dr. Ruud Verdaasdonk, Physics & Medical Technology
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Prof. Dr. Kees van Kuijk, Radiology
10. Dr. Indra van den Bos-Pieters, Radiology
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Key opinion leaders of the
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VUmc-Cancer Center Amsterdam / VUmc Institute for Cancer and Immunology (CCA/V-ICI) part 1
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Prof. Dr. Jaap Bonjer, Surgery Prof. Dr. Guus van Dongen, Otolaryngology / Head & Neck Surgery, Nuclear Medicine & PET-research
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Prof. Dr. Ben Dijkmans, Rheumatology
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Prof. Dr. Winald Gerritse, director CCA
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Prof. Dr. Peter Huijgens, Haematology
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Prof. Dr. RenĂŠ Leemans, Otolaryngology / Head & Neck Surgery
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Prof. Dr. Gerrit Meijer, pathology Dr. Jeroen Meijerink, Surgery Prof. Dr. Chris Mulder, GastroEnterology
10. Prof. Dr. Pieter Postmus,
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Pulmonology
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Our Key Opinion Leaders - continued
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Key opinion leaders of the
VUmc-Cancer Center Amsterdam / VUmc Institute for Cancer and Immunology (CCA/V-ICI) part 2 11.
Prof. Dr. Suresh Senan, Radiation therapy
12. Prof. Dr. Ben Slotman, Radiation therapy
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13. 14.
Prof. Dr. Egbert Smit, Pulmonology
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Prof. Dr. Peter Vandertop, Neurosurgery
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Prof. Dr. Henk Verheul, Oncology
Prof. Dr. Carin Uyl – de Groot, Medical Technology Assessment
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Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, NCA
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Prof. Dr. Arjen Brussaard, director NCA
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Prof. Dr. Jan Heimans, Neurology
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Prof. Dr. Chris Polman, Neurology (MS)
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Prof. Dr. Philip Scheltens, Neurology (Alzheimer)
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Dr. Yolande Appelman, Cardiology
Prof. Dr. Marjo van der Knaap, Neurology
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Key opinion leaders of the
Institute for Cardiovascular 2. Research (ICaR-VU) 3.
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Prof. Dr. Albert van Rossum, Cardiology Prof. Dr. Victor van Hinsbergh, director ICaR-VU
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Advisory Board VU University Medical Imaging Center
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1) Prof. dr. Bob Pinedo
7) Prof.dr. Peter Luijten
Oncologist, chair of the advisory board Founder of Cancer Center Amsterdam VUmc, and involved in founding CTMM and EATRIS
Director Center for Translational Molecular Medicine (CTMM). Professor of Functional Medical Imaging.
2) Prof. dr. Chris J.L.M. Meijer Pathologist at VUmc, vice chair of the advisory board
3) Prof. dr. Liselotte Højgaard Rikshospital Copenhagen, Present position: Head of Dept. Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine & PET and Cyclotron Unit. Former chair EMRC (European Medical Research Council; Roadmap Committee)
4) Mr. Rein Jan Hoekstra Member of The State Council in the Netherlands, which is an independent adviser to the Government on legislation and administration and general highest administrative court in the country.
5) Dr. Hans de Boer Economist. He is member of the Innovation Platform of the Cabinet Balkenende IV. He is former chairman of the Royal Netherlands SME and of the Task Force Youth Unemployment. He has been a member of the National Social Economic Council.
6) Prof. dr. John C. Clark PET scientist. Clinical Research Imaging Center (CRIC), University of Edinburgh, UK
8) Dr. Martin Murphy Founding Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AlphaMed Consulting, Inc., providing strategic support for academic cancer centers, and cancer drug development programs of global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
9) Dr. Raoul Oberman Director- McKinsey, Amsterdam. Specialized in practices such as banks, insurance companies, private equity. President of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands.
10) Prof. dr. ir. David Reinhoudt Chair NanoNed, the Dutch network on nanotechnology. Many functions in technological development and innovation.
11) Dr. Joop Sistermans Chair of the Advisory Council for Science and Technology Policy (AWT) advises the Dutch government and parliament on policy in the areas of scientific research, technological development and innovation.
12) Prof. Dr. Markus Schwaiger Professor and director, department of nuclear medicine, Technische Universitaet of Munich, Germany. He is currently also dean of the School of Medicine at this university.
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Managing the project We aim to have the imaging center operational by 2014. In order to obtain that goal, we have set up the following project organization: The whole of the project is under the guidance of the Steering Group, consisting of senior users of imaging facilities (representatives of the medical specialists and researchers), senior suppliers (representing the imaging specialists) and senior business (executive management representatives). The Steering Group is directly linked to the Board of Directors of both the medical center and the university, where overall project responsibility lies. The Project Team has the function of leading and coordinating the project with all its sub-projects. The project team consists of the chairmen of the departments Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & PET-research and of the LaserLaB Amsterdam, legal and business support from the TTO VU/VUmc (Technology Transfer Office), building project manager, communication consultant and financial consultant (all from the VUmc), as well as representatives of other user groups. Daily project management is executed by the project leader (Prof. Dr. Guus van Dongen) and the project manager (Rafael Smit) and is assisted by project support.
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Four different areas are organized and executed in separated project teams (PT): • PT Building: delivering the program of requirements, selecting architects and constructors, supervising design and construction; • PT Function: describing the ambitions of the imaging center on patient care, research, training & education and valorization; • PT Funding: positioning the Imaging Center, creating a network of strategic partners (for meeting ambitions on research, valorization and finance), obtaining external funds, setting up the business case and project financial control; • PT Integration: integration of the departments of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine & PET-research; designing the governance structure for all parties involved in the Imaging Center. The project team and the Steering Committee are supported by staff departments, such as Communications, Finance, Housing and Corporate Strategy. The Steering Group and the Project Team are advised by an international Advisory Board, consisting of Dutch and international specialists in medical imaging, innovation, finance and business. In the appendix the list of members is included.
VU University Medical Imaging Center
The project management structure was devised to reflect the project’s complexity and the management structure of the hospital, and is as follows:
Board of directors VUmc
Board of directors VU
Steering Group
International Advisory Board
Staff
Project Team
PT Building
PT Function
PT Funding
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PT Integration
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List of Abbreviations BREEAM Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (rating for green buildings) BV Dutch equivalent of a limited company caBIG cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid速 CHDR Center for Human Drug Research CT Computed Tomography CTMM Center for Translational Molecular Medicine, the Netherlands CRO Contract Research Organization EATRIS European Advanced Translational Research InfraStructure in Medicine GMP Good Manufacturing Practice (quality system) IAC Image Analysis Center (of VUmc)
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IP Intellectual property KOL Key Opinion Leader f-MR functional Magnetic resonance imaging MRI Magnetic resonance imaging NIG New Instruments in Medicine, Dutch subsidy program PET Positron emission tomography PhD Doctor of Philosophy SPECT Single photon emission computed tomography TTO Technology Transfer Office VU Vrije Universiteit – VU University, Amsterdam VUmc VU university medical center
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Colophon Version: Š 2010 Author: A. E. Ussi On behalf of: Project Team Imaging Center Department contact: Prof. Dr. G. van Dongen Design & production: Terralemon Website www.vumc.nl/imagingcenter
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Contact Prof. Dr. Guus van Dongen project leader GAMS.vanDongen@VUmc.nl
Anton Ussi business support Ussi@TTO.VU.nl
RafaĂŤl Smit project management RLC.Smit@VUmc.nl
Petra van der Valk project support PM.vanderValk@VUmc.nl
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