In vivo imaging is a new standard in research and drug development. The Phyllis and Walter Mason Laboratory for Small Animal Imaging and Advanced Cardiovascular Research is the first comprehensive state-of-the art non-invasive small animal imaging laboratory in the greater southeastern region of the country. This technology enables the examination of disease progression and pre-clinical efficacy of novel therapeutic agents longitudinally in one subject, thereby reducing the variability that plagues studies designed with multiple subjects. The facility is located within the sterile environment of the vivarium and has been designed specifically for mouse and rat research, but is readily applicable to other small animal models. The strategic development of this imaging laboratory will truncate the timeframe from bench-to-bedside translation of novel therapeutic agents developed by our scientists.