High magnetic fields are essential for optimized signal to noise ratio and spectral resolution in NMR. To this end, a 4.7T/40cm General Electric MR instrument was purchased 1986 by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine for biomedical research on a variety of animal models. Since this instrument was one of the earliest models in this class of instruments, it was upgraded to then state-of-the-art capabilities in 1991, with funds from the NCRR Shared Instrumentation Grant Program. The upgraded Omega console with its accessories has performed superbly well and served the NMR community in and around Johns Hopkins for nearly ten years now. However, the present instrument has become out-dated and very difficult to service and maintain in good working condition. Consequently this proposal requests an upgrade of this instrument to keep it at the cutting edge of NMR technology. The present console is outdated and very restrictive with regards to graphic prescription, data processing and display, and data storage. We are requesting the complete replacement of the existing console with a modem BioSpec(Avance) console along with a new B-GA12 actively shielded gradient set from Bruker Instruments. These improvements are essential for the continued development of spatially localized spectroscopy and imaging for a variety of studies in oncology, cardiology, radiology and neurology at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.
