Biomedical NMR Unit
The group is specialist in the field of small animal MR imaging and spectroscopy as well as in high resolution NMR spectroscopy of biomedical samples, which includes extracts, cell suspensions, biofluids and biopsy samples. The Biomedical NMR Unit operates a small animal MR scanner operating at 9.4 Tesla (horizontal bore, 20 cm bore size) and a high resolution NMR spectrometer operating at the same field strength. Both NMR/ MRI instruments are equipped with state of the art hardware, which includes dedicated 1H and heteronuclear (13C, 19F, 31P etc.) probes, multi-channels, microscopy gradient insert (for the small animal scanner) and magic angle spinning (MAS) probe (for the NMR spectrometer). In addition, hardware for comprehensive animal monitoring, biochemical laboratory work and MR coil building is available. The hardware is complemented by respective expertise in MR physics, engineering and biochemistry in the group.
The current research expertise includes: MRI based molecular imaging, (stem) cell labeling and in vivo tracking, development and evaluation of responsive contrast agents, applications of multimodal imaging, evaluation and characterization of disease models in small animals (with a strong emphasis on neurological diseases), biochemical characterization of disease and treatment models in vivo and on tissue/ biofluid samples, evaluation of neural function (DTI, fMRI). Methodological developments include the optimization of cell visualization procedures, functional MRI, PWI, DWI, MR angiography, neural connectivity (DTI, MEMRI), in vivo 1H and heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy, HR MAS NMR spectroscopy. Close collaborations with researchers in informatics and bioengineering exist in the field of statistical data analysis and classification of NMR and MRI data (including clinical and experimental data). The expertise on hardware development gained over many years (in house development of MR coils, animal handling devices etc.) will be maintained. Currently, the biomedical interests of the Biomedical NMR Unit focuses on the assessment of cell replacement therapy in neurological animal models (stroke, tumors), the biochemical and anatomic characterization of transgenic animal models, the assessment of models for infectious diseases for diagnosis, pathogenesis and therapy as well as body imaging applications. New collaborations with other researcher at KUL constantly increase the spectrum of biomedical applications of MR imaging, spectroscopy and microscopy.
Group members (January 2008):
