Recently, a new Siemens 3T MRI/S scanner was delivered to the Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy (AMRIS) facility. Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy (MRI/S) is a powerful technique used to non-invasively examine the anatomy and physiology of the body in health and disease, such as measuring brain structure and function, monitoring muscle fitness, and examining heart metabolism in vivo.
This instrument will support research studies addressing Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy, aging and cognition, Alzheimer’s disease, adolescent brain cognition development, traumatic brain injury, obesity, diabetes, fatty liver disease, anxiety, and pain.
The University of Florida AMRIS center has also commissioned an Oxford HyperSense Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) system. This commercial system adds new capabilities in addition to a homebuilt DNP system already present at AMRIS. DNP uses the presence of an exogenous radical doped into a sample, very low tem-peratures (~-272°C), and microwave irradiation to enhance magnetic resonance signals by 4 to 5 orders of magnitude. The increased sensitivity of the experiment allows real-time measurements of metabolism to be carried out in living systems, from cell culture to rodents. The new system will more than double the through-put for DNP experiments at AMRIS, and will initially be used to study heart and liver metabolism.