Bas' research focuses on developing and applying hyperpolarized substances in MR imaging. His background is in the atomic physics of producing hyperpolarized noble gases ³He and ¹²⁹Xe.  Hyperpolarization, which involves aligning nuclei to a high degree, enhances the MRI signal from these two isotopes by 5-6 orders of magnitude, which enables high-resolution imaging despite the low density of gases compared to water—the ordinary signal source in MRI.  

With industry and academia experience, Bas has developed an interest not only in attacking the basic physics problems of these gases, but in their large-scale development and application to biomedical problems. Current work involves high-resolution hyperpolarized ³He imaging in mouse and rat models of pulmonary diseases, such as asthma, COPD, and fibrosis. 

Recent publications:

• B Driehuys, J Pollaro, GP Cofer, In vivo MRI using real-time production of hyperpolarized 129Xe, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Communication, 60(1):14-20, 2008.
• B Driehuys, J Nouls, A Badea, et al, Small-animal imaging with MR microscopy, ILAR Journal 49(1):35-53, 2008.
• B Driehuys, LW Hedlund, Imaging techniques for small animal models of pulmonary disease: MR microscopy, invited paper: Toxicologic Pathology 35(1): 49-58, 2007.
  
• B Driehuys, J Walker, J Pollaro, GP Cofer, N Mistry, D Schwartz, GA Johnson, Hyperpolarized ³He MR imaging of methacholine challenge in a mouse model of asthma, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 58(5):893-900, Nov 2007.

Boma's interest is in MR histology. By vascular perfusion of an animal with a gadolinium chelate in the fixative, the resulting MR images of the brain sections can resemble traditional histology.

Before coming to the Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Boma worked in neurobiology research laboratories for several years doing histochemistry on brain sections. Boma finds it very interesting that with the aid of a contrast agent, and by manipulation of certain imaging parameters, brain sections can be obtained by MR, so that any neuroscientist can look at and recognize internal structures.

Sally is involved in computer-related aspects of the Center, including writing code to reconstruct collected MRM data into images and writing programs to manipulate and archive images. She created an Oracle image database to help the lab track its results that reference over 200,000 images from over 1000 subjects.

The 3D image volumes collected rely on volume-rendering for exploration. Sally applies and helps others apply visualization tools to 3D data. To share results, she creates image compositions, diagrams, and animations. In helping outside investigators CIVM apply MRM to their studies, one of her longest and favorite collaborations was in cochlear research.

Tawynna is the grants and financial administrator for the Center. She prepares the financial documents to submit to funding agencies, coordinates financial data analysis, handles procurement for both large equipment and research supplies, and keeps the office running smoothly.

If you need to see someone in the Center, your first stop will probably be with Tawynna.

Dr. Hedlund is a professor in Radiology at the Duke University Medical Center, and is also Associate Director of the Center for In Vivo Microscopy. In the Center, Dr. Hedlund is responsible for Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) certification of all live animal studies.

His research interests include in vivo imaging (MR and x-ray) of major organ systems in relation to environmental and drug effects. He also develops physiologic monitoring and support technologies used for live animal imaging.

Upcoming publication: LW Hedlund and T Gluckman, Basics of Small Animal Handling for In Vivo Imaging, book chapter in: Textbook of Molecular Imaging in Oncology, Martin Pomper, Juri Gelovani (Eds.), in press 2008.

Yi’s research focuses on diffusion tensor microscopy, particularly of mouse heart, mouse embryo and mouse brain, and atlas construction.

Publications

• Y Jiang, K Pandya, O Smithies, EW Hsu, Three-dimensional diffusion tensor microscopy of fixed mouse hearts. Magn Reson Med, 52(3):453-460, 2004

• Y Jiang, EW Hsu, Accelerating MR diffusion tensor imaging via filtered reduced encoding projection reconstruction. Magn Reson Med, 53 (1): 93-102 2005
• JC Walker, JM Guccione, Y Jiang, P Zhang, AW Wallace, EW Hsu, MB Ratcliffe, Helical myofiber orientation after myocardial infarction and left ventricular surgical restoration in sheep. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 129(2):382-90, Feb 2005
• Y Jiang, JM Guccione, M B Ratcliffe, EW Hsu, Transmural heterogeneity of diffusion anisotropy in the sheep myocardium characterized by MR diffusion tensor imaging. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, 293 (4): H2377-H2384
• Y Jiang, S Joshi, K Pandya, O Smithies, EW Hsu, Group average and principal component analysis of the mouse myocardial fiber structures by DTI. Proceedings of the Biomedical Engineering Society 2007

919 684-7858
yi.qi@duke.edu

Yi is part of the biological support core and focuses on the surgery and setup of small animals for micro-CT, micro-PET, MR, and digital subtraction angiography studies. Throughout the studies, Yi monitors the anesthesia, heart rate, temperature, and ventilation of the animals using custom-written LabVIEW programs.

Lucy has over 20 years of system/network administration experience. She maintains over 75 computer systems, including these operating systems—OS X, IRIX, Linux, Solaris, Windows 2000, and Windows XP. Lucy also maintains the Center’s e-mail, network, ftp, web, and database servers.

Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, (1997, BE Chemical Engineering)
Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Electrical Engineering (2003, MS; 2005 PhD)

Steve's responsibilities include methodology development (hardware design and data processing strategies) for fluorescence/diffuse optical tomography and multimodality imaging.

Sally has experience in technical and marketing writing, editing, graphics, and instructional design. She uses these skills to enhance all forms of communication, journal articles, grants, and reports that deal with the Center and the activities of the people who work here. Sally also interfaces with long- and short-term visitors to the Center, and handles all aspects of training activities.

MD candidate, School of Medicine
PhD candidate, Biomedical Engineering

Gabe's personal web page: http://www.duke.edu/~ghowles/

PhD candidate, Biomedical Engineering

Sam's current research involves the improvement of resolution, contrast, and calibration of x-ray computed tomography. His long-term interest is the generation and analysis of neuronal maps from imaging data. His background is in computer science.

nnm2@duke.edu
Nilesh's personal web page: http://www.duke.edu/~nnm2

Nilesh explores various imaging techniques to perform functional phenotyping for cardiopulmonary systems. He is developing efficient k-space acquisition techniques using under-sampled radial trajectories combined with view-sharing data reconstruction techniques. These techniques improve the spatial and temporal resolution in the rodent to image ventilation using hyperpolarized gases and to image perfusion using dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging.

Nilesh’s interests also include study of cardiac motion, image registration, non-rigid deformation models, morphometry and brain atlasing, and diffusion tensor imaging.

John's parents are Belgian, but he was born in California and grew up in Switzerland. He moved from Europe to North Carolina and worked as a research engineer for a medical imaging company developing hyperpolarized gas technology for magnetic resonance imaging. His focus was on 3-Helium polarization, handling, and delivery.

John concentrates his work on magnetic resonance imaging. His research interests cover superconducting technology, hardware in the magnetic resonance radiofrequency chain, coil design, and radiofrequency simulation. He uses and also develops high-temperature superconducting coils for magnetic resonance microscopy.

Prachi's current research involves designing ultra-short echo sequences for efficient multi-slice imaging by reducing scan times. Techniques involve optimizing RF pulses and gradient ramp strategies to improve timing efficiency.

Publications:

• E Bucholz, J Song, GA Johnson, I Hancu, Multi-spectral imaging with three-dimensional rosette trajectories, Magn Reson Med, 59(3): 581-589, 2008.
• E Bucholz, K Ghaghada, Y Qi, S Mukundan, GA Johnson, Four-dimensional MR microscopy of the mouse heart using radial acquisition and liposomal gadolinium contrast agent, Magn Reson Med 60(1):111-118, 2008.

Ming.Lin@philips.com
MingDeLin1234@gmail.com

Ming is now working as a Clinical Site Researcher, Interventional Guidance Technologies, Philips Research, North America

Ming's background is in biomedical and electrical engineering and he has also worked at GE Medical Systems. He helped develop an x-ray system explicitly for small animal imaging using digital subtraction angiography (DSA). This focus has a multidisciplinary approach ranging from x-ray physics to small animal physiology, and includes optimizing x-ray beams, small animal physiological support and monitoring systems, a high-precision micro power contrast injector, functional physiological measurements, an image archival system, and integrating all hardware and software components. His work with the physiological support and monitoring systems transfers to the lab's MRI and PET systems. Ming was involved in building the computer infrastructure, x-ray generator controls, and small animal physiological monitoring system for the 2nd generation microCT. He also maintained the x-ray and the micro-CT infrastructure and computer systems.

alexandra.petiet@gmail.com

Alexandra developed a 4D atlas of the developing mouse using MR microscopy. The atlas covers pre-natal development from embryonic day 10.5 through embryonic day 19.5, and post-natal development from birth-32 days. This work involves developing staining methods to increase the SNR and CNR for imaging at high resolution. These methods use a paramagnetic contrast agent that alters tissue properties, which results in enhanced SNR and CNR and allows short scan times for high-throughput studies.

Alex's dissertation was on "Magnetic Resonance Atlas of the Developing Mouse." She is now working as a post-doctoral fellow, Research & Development, Dept of Neuroscience Sanofi-Aventis, Vitry-sur-Seine, France.

Most recent publication: AE Petiet, MH Kaufman, MM Goddeeris, et al., High-resolution magnetic resonance histology of the embryonic and neonatal mouse: a 4D atlas and morphologic database, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 105(34):12331-12336., 2008. Supplement: http://www.civm.duhs.duke.edu/devatlas/index.html