With support from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program, Prof. Yung-Ya Lin and his group at UCLA are developing "Active-Feedback Magnetic Resonance" for sensitive imaging of magnetic nanoparticles and aggregates (e.g., ferritin and hemoglobin). The approach has two major advantages: enhanced imaging sensitivity with positive contrast and experimental robustness due to fixed-point spin dynamics. These two features provide superior sensitivity/contrast in imaging magnetic nanoparticles and aggregates, as compared to existing methods.
The work will enable improvements in magnetic resonance with potential biomedical applications (molecular imaging and early disease detection). In addition, web-based materials will be developed to promote training, teaching, and learning in molecular imaging and magnetic resonance.