Q&A With Sergey Magnitsky, PhD, Technical Director, SAIF Core

Sergey Magnitsky, PhD

Editor's note: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute supports a variety of Core Facilities providing services ranging from high-tech solutions such as single-cell sequencing and data analysis to filling personnel-based needs for research teams. All the CHOP Cores are designed to enhance the work of our research community, enabling principal investigators and their staff to reach their project goals in partnership with the expertise of the Cores' staff. In each installment of this quarterly series called Tour the Cores, you will meet a different Core Facilities director and get acquainted with how their Core can promote your project's success.

What makes your Core unique?

The Small Animal Imaging Facility (SAIF) Core offers several in vivo imaging capabilities: optical, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), computer tomography (CT), and ultrasound (US). An essential part of my role is advising customers on which modality would best meet their study goals. For example, we can generate functional information about myocardium function with US or MR imaging. I recommend a technique depending on the study's goal. Similarly, monitoring the metabolic activity of cancer cells can be performed with magnetic resonance spectroscopy or PET. The different imaging modalities available in the SAIF are research tools. Which tool fits the job the best depends on the study's goal, available imaging reporter system, animal model, and other components. I direct my customers based on these factors.

While the imaging scanners are advanced and often operated with a few buttons, there is a critical troubleshooting component to ensure the hardware runs smoothly. My predecessor was a helpful teacher, and I attended training with our equipment vendors to keep updated on new technologies.

What is your professional background and how did your path lead to CHOP?

While I am relatively new to CHOP — I started here in 2018 to join the SAIF — I have a long history of working in radiology and physics.

After graduating from the physics school of Moscow State University, my first postdoctoral position was in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania. I also had the opportunity to work with Peter Joseph, PhD, a pioneer in magnetic resonance imaging at the University of Pennsylvania. I conducted a project to implement radiological methods for melanoma cancer research with Jerry Glickson, PhD, at Penn and Meenhard Herlyn, DVM, DSc, at The Wistar Institute. In partnership with John Wolfe, VMD, PhD, at CHOP and Harish Poptani, PhD, who at that time was at Penn, we developed technology to image the implanted cells in cell and gene therapy.

My journey in this field led me to the University of California San Francisco. Upon my return to Philadelphia, I assumed the role of technical director of the SAIF at CHOP, succeeding the outstanding researcher and administrator, Suzanne Wehrli, PhD. This transition allowed me to bring my leadership and management skills to the forefront, ensuring the continued success of the SAIF.

What would you like potential customers to know about working with your Core?

The SAIF offers various state-of-the-art radiological services to help meet your project goals.

Every imaging modality has pros and cons. The best way to determine the appropriate method is to arrange a consultation with me prior to beginning the project. Some researchers already know what they want to do and have a plan, and I am glad to assist them in their work. For other projects, I want to learn about the biological aspects of the customer's idea, animal model, preliminary results and offer advice on the approach, or multiple approaches, that will obtain quality data for their research.

In addition, I ask that users send me publications with known results, if they exist. This helps determine if we have the appropriate equipment to either duplicate previous findings or advance knowledge in the field with the next project.

The more we collaborate and talk with each other and the more information I can gather, the more precise my recommendations on different modalities and approaches for the project can be.

What equipment does the Core provide that investigators would like to learn about?

The SAIF conducts research in all areas of preclinical anatomical, functional, and molecular imaging. The facility has a 7T MRI system, CT, PET, optical imaging, US, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.

We can use MRI to visualize the physiological or metabolic activity of cells, angiography, and brain function, use CT to see bone structure in distinct high resolution, and use PET to evaluate metabolic activity of normal or tumor cells, monitor treatment response, and detect reactive oxygen species in neurological disorders. The Core also provides cardiac imaging with ultrasound and optical imaging to track tumor development and response to treatment.

My goal is to understand the study aims and the biological aspects of the imaging target and assist with acquisition of imaging data.

Can you provide additional facts or items of interest about SAIF to the research community?

Every project that comes to the SAIF Core is a new challenge, and I like problem-solving to determine how to meet customers' needs effectively. Usually, that requires an understanding of their work to choose the modality that will help answer the PI's research questions; sometimes, a study requires developing hardware to accommodate atypical imaging subjects.

Images help tell the story of your scientific research in a visually appealing way. An image showing a reduction in tumor size after treatment can be a helpful visual explanation for journal reviewers, as an alternative to a table or graph. Additionally, relevant in vivo images may be required for some submissions to journals and FDA applications. Imaging technology remains an essential tool in translational research.

Visit the SAIF Core website for a complete list of available equipment and services.