Home

The Functional and Metabolic Imaging Group (FMIG) is dedicated to advancing the science of hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the study of pulmonary and metabolic health. Our research spans fundamental sequence development to translational applications in patient care, with the goal of enabling earlier, mroe precise detection of disease and more effective monitoring of treatment response.

Our current investigations focuns on four interconnected research areas:

Next-generation hyperpolarized gas MRI: We develop and refine hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe MRI methods to obtain quantitative, high-resolution maps of lung structure and function. These techniques provide novel biomarkers of ventilation, gas exchange, and microstructural integrity, enabling the detection of early or subtle pulmonary impairments not visible with conventional imaging.
Hyperpolarized ¹³C metabolic imaging: We design and implement real-time imaging approaches using hyerpolarized ¹³C-labeled metabolites (such as [1-¹³C]pyruvate) to investigate in vivo metabolism. This work supports new ways to assess lung perfusion, pulmonary pH, and abnormal metabolic pathways associated with conditions such as lung transplant rejection, cancer, and other diseases where metabolic dysregulation plays a central role.
Innovative pulmonary function assessment: We are pioneering MRI-based techniques to quantify ventialtion dynamics, gas transfer efficiency, and regional lung mechanics, integrating imaging biomarkers with physiological metrics for a more complete understanding of lung health.
Rapid and efficient imaging sequences: We develop high-performance MRI pulse sequences and reconstruction algorithms tailored for hyperpolarized gases and metabolites, enabling high temporal and spatial resolution while maximizing polarization preservation.

Together, these efforts position FMIG at the forefront of biomedical imaging, innovation, bridging physics, engineering, and clinical science to transform the evaluation of lung and metabolic diseases.