The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) requests grant support to purchase a state-of-the- art whole-body 3 Tesla (3T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner to perform advanced anatomic, functional, spectroscopic and physiologic imaging for biomedical research. The requested 3T MRI scanner is urgently needed to (a) accommodate a rapidly increasing number of NIH-funded projects, (b) replace an early generation, out-dated, un-upgradable 3T scanner with cutting-edge 3T technologies, and (c) establish the first-ever 3T imaging facility dedicated to research at UIC. The proposed 3T scanner is of paramount importance for UIC to sustain and strengthen its position at the forefront of imaging technology and to ensure successful completion of fifteen active NIH-funded projects (eleven R01's, one P50, one R21, one K24, and one R03) with a total award of $32.6M. The state-of-the-art MRI scanner will also play a pivotal role in our future expansion from brain to body imaging over a broad range of basic, translational, and clinical research areas. Overall, there is a compelling need for a high-end 3T scanner dedicated to research at UIC. The instrumentation requested is a 3T General Electric Discovery MR750 scanner with advanced neuro- and body-imaging capabilities enabled by cutting-edge technologies. The 3T scanner will be utilized as a University-wide resource located in the College of Medicine. At least 2,500 square feet of space is allocated by the University to house the new 3T MRI facility. Substantial infrastructure and technical expertise are already in place for installing, operating and maintaining the 3T scanner. More importantly, UIC and its College of Medicine have committed $1.17M to the proposed new 3T facility to cover space renovation, site preparation, scanner installation, and operation costs. To ensure continued successful operation in the post-award period, a Project Review Committee will be created to allocate the 3T resource according to the NIH guidelines and promote equipment usage while ensuring scientific merit and productivity. In addition, an Advisory Committee will be created to oversee the management of this grant and make policy and strategic decisions. This administrative structure is accompanied by a financial plan that ensures self-supporting in the post-award period. The mission of our 3T imaging facility is to promote the development and synergistic application of MRI techniques to a broad range of biomedical disciplines. The purchase of the new 3T scanner is a critical and significant step to accomplish this mission.
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