The vascular bed is essential for survival of all multicellular organisms that are larger than a millimeter. Accordingly, all changes in the structure and function of tissues, which occur in health and disease, during development or degeneration, are accompanied and often induced by vascular changes. The aim of our work is to map the regulatory network controlling the growth and function of blood and lymphatic vessels. Novel MRI tools, accompanied by advanced optical modalities, allow us to non-invasively obtain dynamic information on activity of multiple steps in the angiogenic process and thereby improves our understanding of the key regulatory elements and critical checkpoints of vascular remodeling. Identifications of these checkpoints can be used as targets for intervention, and assist in pre-clinical and clinical development of such novel targeted therapies
