Research Support

Research Support

The MR facility supports research applications including fMRI, multinuclear spectroscopy, diffusion tensor imaging, arterial spin labelling, cardiovascular and whole body imaging. We perform translational and clinical imaging research at the LMS using new imaging technologies, interventions and modelling techniques for proof of concept studies through to large-scale population cohorts. We have numerous external collaborations, including industrial partnerships, to offer added value to LMS imaging research through innovative machine learning, biostatistics and genomics.

Services

Services

  • Human magnetic resonance imaging and
    spectroscopy (1H and 31P)
  • Development of novel imaging sequences
    and imaging protocol optimisation.
  • MR physics support
  • MR image analysis

Equipment

Equipment

  • Siemens 1.5T MRI Scanner – clinical MRI
    scanner
  • Siemens 3T MRI Scanner – clinical MRI
    scanner
  • Coils for 1H imaging and spectroscopy
  • Coils for 31p imaging and spectroscopy
  • Nordic Neuro Lab stimulus response system
    for function MRI
  • MR exercise ergometer – exercise during
    MRI scanning
  • MR compatible pumps for administration of
    intravenous drug bolus and infusions
  • MR compatible physiological monitoring

Meet the team

This facility is available to LMS staff and students, and external researchers.
Please contact us for pricing, availability and support with experimental design.

Enquiries: , Admin contact: Dulcie Rodrigues

Impact

  • Patented technology for predicting clinical outcomes from human MR imaging.
  • Discovered therapeutic targets for premature ageing through AI analysis of heart motion.
  • Artificial intelligence predicts when the heart will fail. How old is your heart?
  • AI predicts “heart age” and pinpoints the link to genes.
  • Physically healthy people with schizophrenia show heart changes that increase the risk of heart disease.

Active projects

Selected publications

Osimo EF, Brugger SP, de Marvao A, Pillinger T, Whitehurst T, Statton B, Quinlan M, Berry A, Cook SA, O’Regan DP, Howes OD. (2020). Cardiac structure and function in schizophrenia: cardiac magnetic resonance imaging studyBr J Psychiatry. doi: 10.1192/bjp.2019.268.

Bello GA, Dawes TJW, Duan J, Biffi C, de Marvao A, Howard LSGE, Gibbs JSR, Wilkins MR, Cook SA, Rueckert D, O’Regan DP. (2019). Deep learning cardiac motion analysis for human survival predictionNat Mach Intell. 11;1:95-104. doi: 10.1038/s42256-019-0019-2.

Nour MM, Dahoun T, Schwartenbeck P, Adams RA, FitzGerald THB, Coello C, Wall MB, Dolan RJ, Howes OD. (2018). Dopaminergic basis for signaling belief updates, but not surprise, and the link to paranoiaProc Natl Acad Sci USA. 23;115(43):E10167-E10176. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1809298115.

Jauhar S, McCutcheon R, Borgan F, Veronese M, Nour M, Pepper F, Rogdaki M, Stone J, Egerton A, Turkheimer F, McGuire P, Howes OD. (2018). The relationship between cortical glutamate and striatal dopamine in first-episode psychosis: a cross-sectional multimodal PET and magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging studyLancet Psychiatry. 5(10):816-823. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30268-2.

Schafer S, de Marvao A, Adami E, Fiedler LR, Ng B, Khin E, Rackham OJ, van Heesch S, Pua CJ, Kui M, Walsh R, Tayal U, Prasad SK, Dawes TJ, Ko NS, Sim D, Chan LL, Chin CW, Mazzarotto F, Barton PJ, Kreuchwig F, de Kleijn DP, Totman T, Biffi C, Tee N, Rueckert D, Schneider V, Faber A, Regitz-Zagrosek V, Seidman JG, Seidman CE, Linke WA, Kovalik JP, O’Regan D, Ware JS, Hubner N and Cook SA. (2017). Titin-truncating variants affect heart function in disease cohorts and the general populationNat Genet49(1), 46-53.

Dawes TJW, de Marvao A, Shi W, Fletcher T, Watson GMJ, Wharton J, Rhodes CJ, Howard L, Gibbs JSR, Rueckert D, Cook SA, Wilkins MR, O’Regan DP. (2017). Machine Learning of Three-dimensional Right Ventricular Motion Enables Outcome Prediction in Pulmonary Hypertension: A Cardiac MR Imaging StudyRadiology, 283(2), 381-390.