Research activities of the Biomedical MR Imaging and Spectroscopy group particularly focus on development and application of MR methods to study pathophysiology, recovery mechanisms and treatment effects in animal models of cerebrovascular (e.g., stroke) and neuroinflammatory disorders (e.g. multiple sclerosis). On the subject of stroke, recent studies include functional and structural MRI of brain reorganization in relation to functional recovery, assessment of effects of thrombolytic therapy on brain tissue and perfusion status, and multiparametric MRI for improvement of the diagnostic and prognostic potential of MRI.

Currently, we are setting up a program to perform MRI experiments at the level of the brain microvasculature, which includes perfusion MRI, blood-brain barrier imaging and cellular/molecular MRI. This forms the basis of the MRI projects described in WP7. We have ample experience with MRI-based assessment of perfusion changes and blood-brain barrier leakage in rodent stroke models, and we have recently started with MRI measurements of cellular and molecular inflammatory events in the brain. In addition to MRI acquisition and analysis, this multidisciplinary research project involves advanced molecular imaging probe design and dedicated cell labeling procedures, for which we join forces with colleagues at the Department of Biomedical Engineering of Eindhoven University of Technology (Dr. Klaas Nicolay) and the Department of Molecular Cell Biology of VUMC Amsterdam (Dr. Helga E. de Vries), respectively.

Mark J. Bouts, computer scientist

Lisette H. Deddens, chemist

René Zwartbol, technician