Description of Research Expertise

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, more precise detection of disease and more effective monitoring of treatment response.

Our current investigations focus on four interconnected research areas:

1) Next-generation hyperpolarized gas MRI: Developing and refining 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, subtle pulmonary impairments not visible with conventional imaging.

2) Hyperpolarized 13C metabolic imaging: Designing and implementing real-time imaging approaches using hyperpolarized 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 pulmonary diseases where metabolic dysregulation plays a central role.

3)Innovative pulmonary function assessment: Pioneering MRI-based techniques to quantify ventilation dynamics, gas transfer efficiency, and regional lung mechanics, integrating imaging biomarkers with physiological metrics for a more complete understanding of lung health.

4) Rapid and efficient imaging sequences: Developing 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 the FMIG at the forefront of biomedical imaging and innovation, bridging physics, engineering, and clinical science to transform the evaluation of lung physiology and disease.