This project outlines technical bioengineering developments for new types of image contrast inthe emerging field of hyperpolarized carbon-13 MRI. Preliminary research in this field isextremely promising, particularly for cancer applications, and the first human trials in prostatecancer patients are slated to occur at UCSF within 6 months. This 'Pathway to Independence'award application includes a mentored career development plan for transition of the candidate,Dr. Peder Larson, into an independent investigator, as well an accompanying research plandescribing the proposed technical developments for hyperpolarized carbon-13 MR.The candidate, Dr. Peder Larson, is currently a Postdoctoral Scholar at UCSF working ontechnical developments for hyperpolarized carbon-13 MRI. His graduate work was in ElectricalEngineering at Stanford and focused on improving MRI of semi-solid tissues, which are invisiblein conventional MRI. The mentoring and career development plan will supplement hisengineering background with valuable exposure to hyperpolarization physics and chemistry,biological systems and biochemistry, pre-clinical research, and inter-disciplinary collaboration tofacilitate the transition to an independent bioengineering investigator. His goals are to becomea faculty member in bioengineering or radiology where he can research technical biomedicalimaging developments with potential clinical applications.Hyperpolarized carbon-13 MRI requires specialized methods because, unlike conventional MRI,the signal decays rapidly and is unrecoverable. This project proposes rapid and efficientmethods for dynamic metabolic imaging to provide localized perfusion, uptake and rateinformation that are unavailable in current techniques. New sources of contrast withhyperpolarized carbon-13 are also proposed, including a method to distinguish flowingmetabolites from those within tissues and development of specialized techniques for multiplecarbon-13 agents. Preclinical studies in normal animals will be used for investigation of the newimaging methods. This will facilitate the translation of the methods from development to futureclinical application.))
MRI with hyperpolarized carbon-13 can non-invasively probe tissue functions that are altered in cancer and other disease states, and the first human trial with prostate cancer patients is shortly forthcoming. The new hyperpolarized carbon-13 imaging methods proposed in this project will provide unprecedented tissue function contrast to improve cancer imaging and potentially enable new clinical applications. )
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