High-Field MRI as a tool for medical diagnosis and brain research

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Fritz Schick, since 3/2008
• Subject Area: Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy, Radiobiology
• Term: from 2002 to 2004
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5318798

This application aims at acquiring a high field Magnetic Resonance Tomograph (MRT) as the core element of a new research center for Magnetic Resonance Research (MRR), to be established at the medical faculty of the University of Tuebingen. The center will be dedicated to the promotion of high quality research in different fields of biomedicine, independent of the specific scientific interest and independent of the affiliation of the potential user. In principal, the improved spatial and temporal resolution promised by high-field MRT will be beneficial to all fields of biomedical research. However, we foresee three areas, traditionally well-represented in Tuebingen, in which these improvements in resolution may translate into decisive steps forward: the first area is the study of brain anatomy and function, based on the BOLD response (functional magnetic resonance imaging fMRI). The second area is the high resolution morphological and functional imaging of thoracic, abdomical and musculoskeletal. The third area is the spectroscopic analysis of tissue specimen in-vivo. Improvements in these areas may tremendously enhance the diagnostic potential of MRT and may contribute to a deeper understanding of the working of the human brain and of metabolism in several organ systems. While the individual scientific questions asked will reflect a broad spectrum of topics, from the functional imaging of brain and cognitive functions, to the spectroscopic analysis of tissue specimen in vivo, the future users will have to deal with common methodological problems. The applicants share the conviction that solutions can be best provided if technical expertise and skills, as yet spread out over several independent groups in Tuebingen, having successfully contributed to MRT technology in the past, will be combined within the walls of the center, thus providing a firm basis for methodologic interaction and for synergies. The center will be steered by a board, responsible for the allocation of resources, the maintenance of the MRT, the provision of hardware and software support to users, the promotion of interaction and collaboration and the dissemination of new methodological solutions. The dedication of the center to competitive top-quality research will be guaranteed by a strong influence of institutions, which, like a DFG-funded project, are subject to evaluation by external peers. The board will assess projects and allocate resources, based on the originality and the quality of the work proposed and previous achievements of the applicants. The staff needed for the maintenance of the center and the support of users will consist of a core of experts, contributed by the applicants and the faculty of medicine and supplemented by personel financed by overheads sharged to users.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Major Instrumentation: Kernspintomograph
• Instrumentation Group: 3231 MR-Tomographie-Systeme
• Participating Persons: Professor Dr. Niels Birbaumer; Professor Dr. Claus D. Claussen; Professor Dr. Wolfgang Grodd; Professor Dr. Karsten Voigt
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Hans-Peter Thier, until 3/2008