This proposal, in response to the NCRR RFA RR-03-009, requests funds to cost share the purchase of a 3.0 Tesla advanced generation large bore magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner to support multiple programs of human and animal health-related research at Dartmouth Medical School and College, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) and the Thayer School of Engineering. A campus wide multidisciplinary consortium of investigators with over $15M in annual imaging related sponsored research urgently requires access to state of the art high field scanning capability to accomplish current and emerging scientific goals. A detailed technical study examined the critical features needed by investigators in terms of field strength, gradients, and radiofrequency coils parallel imaging, software integration and other features. Representative Major User Groups for the proposed NRC include: (1) Aging and Alzheimer's Disease; (2) Anxiety Disorders Treatment; (3) Bioinformatics and Image Analysis; (4) Biophysics, Bioengineering and Radiological Research Programs; (5) Brain Injury Research Programs: Human and Animal Models; (6) Cardiovascular Imaging and Angiogenesis Centers; (7) Cognitive Neuroscience Program; (8) Epilepsy and Functional Neurosurgery; (9) Multiple Sclerosis Center; (10) Neuro-Oncology, Radiation and Chemotherapy Imaging Studies; (11) Pediatric Psychopharmacology; (12) Schizophrenia, Affective Disorders and Substance Abuse Research; (13) Spine and Musculoskeletal Clinical Research Centers; (14) Other Users, Pilot Projects and Training Grants/Fellowship Programs. The NRC will be extensively utilized and administered by an experienced team. It will become self-sufficient and greatly enhance the scientific productivity of many leading investigators. It will also facilitate the training of future biomedical scientists.
