Our mission is to pioneer advanced imaging technologies to unlock the secrets of brain metabolism and microstructure in vivo.
To achieve this, we leverage and advance MR spectroscopy (MRS), MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI), and positron emission tomography (PET), the leading non-invasive modalities for probing metabolic processes in the living brain. These methods are further complemented by MR imaging, which provides complementary insights into tissue structure and microstructure.
Through a multidisciplinary effort and a unique translational platform (organoid → animal → patient), we unite ultra-high-field MR Spectroscopy (¹H, 2H, ¹³C, ¹⁵N, ³¹P) with complementary state-of-the art Spectroscopic Imaging, diffusion and multi-contrast MRI, PET and microscopy techniques to tackle critical challenges in neurological health, paving the way for breakthroughs in understanding and treating brain disorders.
Our Research Focus Includes:
– Mapping brain metabolism in vivo and assessing regional vulnerability in neurological diseases by developing high resolution, whole brain 3D MR Spectroscopic Imaging combined with a seamless workflow from raw data to quantitative readouts (compressed sensing, spectral spatial encoding, denoising, MRS4Brain toolbox).
– Studying brain glucose metabolism in neurological conditions by combining MR Spectroscopy and quantitative PET to map regional tracer kinetics and link metabolic dysfunction to neurochemical and structural changes.
– Uniting Metabolic Signatures with Microstructural Readouts in vivo in neurological diseases using advanced MR Diffusion-Weighted Spectroscopy and Spectroscopic Imaging, MR Diffusion-Weighted Imaging, and Microscopy to read out diffusion of intracellular metabolites, a contrast unattainable with water based diffusion MRI, providing cellular level insight into tissue architecture and leading to the next-generation microstructure‑specific imaging paradigm.
– Pioneering Biomarker Research in Hepatic Encephalopathy using advanced MR Spectroscopy and MR Spectroscopic Imaging to map the ammonia driven cascade: glutamine mediated astrocytic/neuronal changes, neurotransmitter imbalance, cognitive dysfunction, enabling earlier, more sensitive detection than conventional imaging; uncover novel disturbances (antioxidants, creatine) and region /age dependent vulnerabilities for precision diagnosis.
– Bench to bedside translational platform [in vitro (organoid) → preclinical in vivo (rodent) → clinical in vivo (patient)] via a uniquely multimodal pipeline: real time MRS of living 3D brain organoids in an MR compatible bioreactor, validation in animal models, and translation to pediatric and adult cohorts: linking cellular mechanisms to in vivo biomarkers for development, disease progression, and treatment response.
– Investigating oxidative stress in neurological disorders through MR Spectroscopy, Electron Paramagnetic Resonance, and advanced microscopy techniques.