National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) Collaborations and Services

Core Technology Research & Development

TR&D Project 1: The Chemistry of New Imaging Agents

  • Develop long-T1 glucose analogs for imaging tissue uptake and metabolism of glucose
  • Develop long-T1 redox and OG sensors for hyperpolarized imaging of abnormal physiology
  • Develop a family of nanoscale MRI detectors capable of imaging specific biological targets in vivo
  • Image the extracellular distribution of glucose in vivo using  a glucose-sensitive paramagnetic CEST agent and SWIFT imaging

TR&D Project 2: Optimizing Methods for Imaging Metabolic Flux Using Hyperpolarized Nuclei

  • Develop a new set of tracer molecules for assessing glucose metabolism
  • Methods for measuring absolute flux using hyperpolarization
  • Detect hyperpolarized 13C signals through protons
  • Adapt current chemical shift imaging (CSI) technologies to the detection of hyperpolarized nuclei at 4.7 T
  • Transfer of hyperpolarized 13C technology to a 3T scanner

TR&D Project 3: In Vivo 13C NMR Spectroscopy

  • 1.Citric Acid cycle and glutamatergic fluxes in brain multiplet 13C NMR spectroscopy
  • 2. MR Spectroscopy at 7T for brain and skeletal muscle metabolism
  • 3. Interaction of ischemia and substrates in the 13C NMR spectrum of the heart
  • 4. Imaging anaplerosis with hyperpolarized 13C

TR&D Project 4: Administration

Collaboration and Services

  • Intermediary metabolism in the heart by NMR
  • Mitochondrial Dysfunction in  non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
  • Mitochondrial myopathies and glycogen storage diseases
  • Fast imaging methods for hyperpolarized nuclei

Driving Biomedical Projects

  • Metabolic profiles of gliomas and metastatic brain tumors
  • Fast imaging methods for hyperpolarized nuclei
  • Factors controlling metabolic flux in the liver
  • Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center
  • MRS and CEST imaging of brain tumors: biomarkers of therapeutic response
  • Assembly of a pre-polarizer based on a narrow-bore magnet
  • Intermediary metabolism in tumor cells
  • Ultra-sensitive MRI Probes
  • Neurotransmitter fluxes by multiplet 13C NMR
  • Mitochondrial myopathies and glycogen storage disease
  • Task force for obesity research at southwestern
  • Cardiac preservation prior to transplantation
  • Mechanism of excess glucose production in type 2 diabetes
  • Yttrium hyperpolarization
  • Optimizing PARACEST agents for human MR imaging
  • Glioma metabolism in patients in vivo
  • Construction of a flexible hyperpolarization system
  • Mitochondrial Function and insulin resistance
  • Neurological diseases due to inborn errors of metabolism
  • MR agents sensitive to biological indicators
  • Intermediary metabolism in heart by NMR
  • Responsive MR and PET agents
  • CEST imaging of glycogen
  • Multi-nuclear coils for breast and brain spectroscopy at 7T

Local Services

  • Protocol review committee
  • Preparing infusions and monitoring physiology
  • Support for institutional review board applications
  • Rodent imaging and spectroscopy facility
  • External Advisory Committee

Research Services

  • Advanced MR for probing tumor microenvironment
  • Prognostic radiology and the pathophysiology of tumors
  • Small animal imaging research program
  • Dynamic imaging of hypoxia and vascular profiles in cancer