Center for Biomedical Imaging at Penn

The Center for Biomedical Imaging(CBI) is a Type 1 center within the Department of Radiology at Penn Medicine. The CBI coordinates the translational bioimaging center of the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT).

The CBI is organized into three areas:

  • Basic Imaging Research Division 
  • Translational Research Division
  • Core Facilities

Basic Imaging Division (Labs)

The Basic Imaging Research Division consists of laboratories lead by faculty who are primarily focused on advancing imaging methodology.  The division will be organized into programs based on technology focus which translates into common resource requirements and academic focus: Signal Acquisition, Image Informatics, and Molecular Imaging.  The Basic Imaging Research Division actively engages basic and applied science faculty from across campus that have an interest in biomedical imaging methods.  This would include the faculty in Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Engineering  (especially bioengineering) and the Institute for Medicine and Engineering among others.   This engagement is facilitated by the program structure that focuses effort along common scientific and technology themes.

Translational Imaging Research Division

Translational imaging research programs are formed to create focus and support for applied imaging research related to major disease areas. These programs are coordinated with relevant institutes and centers in the medical school such as the Abramson Cancer Center;  The Cardiovascular Institute; The Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism; The Institute on Aging, The Institute for Neurological Science and others. In addition the development of the programs within the translational division are coordinated with the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics.  The programs within the Translational Division include a diverse group of clinicians, basic scientists and imaging scientists. Imaging scientists in the translational groups may also be part of a basic imaging laboratory.  They will actively engage expertise in the basic labs and engage resources in the cores to support their mission.

Core Facilities (Service Centers)

CBI core facilities provide Core services to basic, translational and clinical research groups.  This includes system access, research coordinator support and image management service.  Current Core resources include the Small Animal Imaging Facility (SAIF), PET center, the Imaging Probe Development  Facility (IPDF), The Center for Advanced MRI and Spectroscopy (CAMRIS), the Center for Advanced CT Imaging Services (CACTIS).  The development of an Imaging Processing and Analysis Center has been initiated in the past year. 

 Information about services and rates center can be found here: 

Radiology Clinical Core Facility (RADCORE)

RADCORE is the central office for clinical research support in the Department of Radiology. The office was established in 2007 and has continued to expand over the past nine years under the guidance of Dr. Mitch Schnall.

Our mission is to:

  • Provide regulatory, operational and coordinator services to Investigators throughout the department.
  • Build a strong professional group of clinical research staff within the department.
  • Set up a networking and training for new research staff, and well as continue to provide career ladders for existing staff.
  • RADCORE also houses an IND Support Service that manages a portfolio of regulatory support for investigational diagnostic imaging probes requiring IND or RDRC regulatory approval and support. This service is managed by Kathleen Thomas, whom investigators interested in investigational tracers should contact.

See also PET Center for further information about investigational PET imaging probes.


In addition, an Administrative Core supports business administration, regulatory compliance and core operational management. These cores are predominantly supported on a fee for service basis with additional costs supported by funding through center grants including the Cancer Center and the CTSA.

CBI Administration

The Research (CBI) Administration serves as the administrative liaison for all faculty and staff interested in biomedical imaging research. .

The goals of the three offices (Business, Compliance, and Operations) are to provide Investigators with the following services:

  • To assist in the budgeting  and proposal development process for biomedical imaging research.
  • Assist all investigators in contracting
  • Fiscal operations of all research funding for the center.
  • Regulatory oversight from a compliance perspective for all research funding (pre and post award).
  • Monitoring of research performed in CBI core facility to ensure patient safety and compliance with human and animal research regulations
  • Communicate with IRB, IACUC and the FDA related to image protocol development.