The overarching objective of the Center for Magnetic Resonance and Optical Imaging (CMROI), a Biomedical Technological and Research Center (BTRC), is to develop innovative Magnetic Resonance (MR) and Optical imaging-based biomarker technologies in support of the biomedical research community both at the University of Pennsylvania (UPENN) and across the country. These technological developments are driven by collaborations between clinically oriented and technologically oriented investigators to address specific clinical problems and to further fundamental understanding of biophysical, physiological, structural, molecular and functional properties of physiology and pathophysiology in vivo. Based on the compelling projects identified by our collaborators, we have developed 4 broad areas of Technological Research and Development (TRD) research. The first TRD project involves the development of novel rotating frame MR techniques with exchange-mediated contrast that have high spatial and temporal resolution. These techniques are aimed at studying the biochemical and metabolic aspects of brain, tumors, heart and connective tissues, leading to clinical applications in neurodegenerative, neuropsychiatric and cardiac diseases, arthritis, and cancer. The second TRD focuses on the development of optimized, single-shot, whole-brain, perfusion MRI for measuring cerebral blood flow (CBF), at 3T used for applications in functional brain imaging, pharmacological MRI, and as a biomarker of neurodegenerative diseases, further development of perfusion MRI at 7T targeting measurement of white matter CBF, and further development of a novel method for direct imaging of myelin water for applications in demyelinating disease. The third TRD focuses on the development of novel MR strategies for efficient data acquisition and reconstruction based on the radial k-space trajectory, with application in dynamic cancer and cardiac imaging and multi-parametric MRI. The fourth and final TRD is oriented towards noninvasive and minimally invasive diffuse optical imaging and monitoring. Development of bedside probes based on diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS) and diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) facilitate concurrent monitoring of blood oxygenation and blood flow, respectively, in brain and spine, and a novel, multi-modal optical-MRI breast cancer imaging system will be optimized in standard-of-care hospital MRI scanners The resource emphasizes synergistic TRD work that is driven by collaborators both from within the home institution and from across the country. Service includes usage and access to the state-of-the-art MR imaging systems including 7T and 3T whole body research magnets, pre-clinical MRI resources, optical imaging instrumentation, polarized gas imaging facilities, and the distribution of pulse sequences and computer analyses software developed by the resource to external sites. The resource also maintains an extensive training and dissemination program in biomedical imaging through a multitude of seminars, workshops, peer reviewed publications, targeted courses, hands-on training and a dedicated website. Furthermore, organized plans and operating procedures for the administrative core contributes to the seamless functioning of the resource. The resource has an exceptional scientific environment in the form of world-class faculty, senior research investigators, and outstanding institutional commitment. It remains committed to intellectual interchange and the interdisciplinary pursuit of basic and clinical medicine through the proposed developments and thus has all the attributes required for a national BTRC.
In this BTRC proposal, the primary goal is to develop innovative Magnetic Resonance (MR) and Optical imaging-based biomarker technologies in support of the biomedical research community across the country. These technological developments are driven by collaboration of several scientists to address specific clinical problems. These technologies will have substantial impact on the fundamental understanding, early diagnosis, and development of novel therapies for several diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Epilepsy, Arthritis, Cancer, Stroke, Cardiovascular disease etc., and thus contribute to the improved clinical care.
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