Magnetic Susceptibility Interference MRI: developing new imaging methods to quantify axonal magnetic properties and myelin integrity
Lead Research Organisation:
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
Department Name: Sch of Psychology
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Organisations
- CARDIFF UNIVERSITY (Lead Research Organisation)
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) (Collaboration)
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT) (Collaboration)
- University of Pavia (Collaboration)
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) (Collaboration)
- University of Lausanne (Project Partner)
Publications
Kitchingman L
(2025)
Magnetic Field Correlation Imaging Quantifies Demyelination and Axonal Loss
| Description | Myelin is a protective covering around nerve fibers in our brain and spinal cord, like the insulation around electrical wires. It helps messages travel quickly and efficiently along our nerves. This award allowed us to develop a new method using a special kind of medical imaging called Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to see and understand the condition of myelin in living bodies without needing to do anything invasive, like surgery. We have made significant progress in developing MRI techniques and analysis tools that allow doctors and scientists to look at myelin in living organisms, including humans, using MRI. We performed initial experiments and numerical simulations demonstrating that the method developed indeed provides information about myelin status in both healthy and pathological conditions which are complementary to any other imaging technique currently available in clinics. |
| Exploitation Route | The preliminary results from this award will be key to secure further fundings for further developing and testing the methodology in more clinical settings, for instance using 7T MRI scanners available in hospitals. We will optimize the acquisition methodology to be shared with 7T MRI users in hospitals, alongside the analysis tools (shared open source) to perform myelin status imaging in clinical applications. |
| Sectors | Education Healthcare Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology |
| Description | Expert Reviewer for the European Research Executive Agency (REA) |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Peer reviewer for the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | ARC Discovery Project: 'New mathematical models for brain tissue microstructure imaging' |
| Amount | $592,000 (AUD) |
| Funding ID | DP250100366 |
| Organisation | Australian Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Australia |
| Start | 05/2025 |
| End | 05/2028 |
| Description | Collaboration with the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois - CHUV and the CIBM, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne - EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland) |
| Organisation | Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Sector | Hospitals |
| PI Contribution | Expertise in machine learning, computational modelling, biophysical modelling and image processing of diffusion-weighted MRI (dMRI) data; collection and access to dMRI data of healthy participants for mapping molecular exchange mechanisms in vivo using dMRI data; intellectual input in developing the core methodology for mapping myelin status non invasively using magnetic field correlation MRI; training and co-supervision of two PhD students at the collaborating institutions: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois - CHUV and the Center for Biomedical Imaging, Animal Imaging and Technology - CIBM, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne - EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland). |
| Collaborator Contribution | Intellectual input in developing the core methodology for mapping molecular exchange mechanisms in vivo using dMRI data; two PhD students' time for processing and analysis of the data; collection and access to dMRI data of healthy and demyelinated ex vivo rat brains for mapping myelin status using the newly developed magneti field correlation MRI methods. |
| Impact | This collaboration produced: Two papers on peer-reviewed scientific journal: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119277 and https://direct.mit.edu/imag/article/doi/10.1162/imag_a_00104/119673 and three abstract at international conferences: ISMRM 2022 and 2023. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Collaboration with the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois - CHUV and the CIBM, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne - EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland) |
| Organisation | Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Expertise in machine learning, computational modelling, biophysical modelling and image processing of diffusion-weighted MRI (dMRI) data; collection and access to dMRI data of healthy participants for mapping molecular exchange mechanisms in vivo using dMRI data; intellectual input in developing the core methodology for mapping myelin status non invasively using magnetic field correlation MRI; training and co-supervision of two PhD students at the collaborating institutions: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois - CHUV and the Center for Biomedical Imaging, Animal Imaging and Technology - CIBM, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne - EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland). |
| Collaborator Contribution | Intellectual input in developing the core methodology for mapping molecular exchange mechanisms in vivo using dMRI data; two PhD students' time for processing and analysis of the data; collection and access to dMRI data of healthy and demyelinated ex vivo rat brains for mapping myelin status using the newly developed magneti field correlation MRI methods. |
| Impact | This collaboration produced: Two papers on peer-reviewed scientific journal: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119277 and https://direct.mit.edu/imag/article/doi/10.1162/imag_a_00104/119673 and three abstract at international conferences: ISMRM 2022 and 2023. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Collaboration with the Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences of the University of Pavia (Pavia, Italy) |
| Organisation | University of Pavia |
| Country | Italy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I hosted Mrs. Eleonora Lupi for a research internship of 6 months. My team and I provided data and support for two research projects led by Eleonora: i) develop a new image quality transfer framework to enhance the resolution of diffusion-weighted MRI data at ultra-strong gradients; ii) inprove the prediction of The Virtual Brain by integrating subject-specific estimates of g-ratio and axonal radius using ultra-strong gradient MRI. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The group led by Prof. Egidio d'Angelo at the Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences of the University of Pavia contributed with expertise on how to setup and run The Virtual Brain framework; access to HPC facility; funding to cover Eleonora's visit to Cardiff University, supervision of Eleonora. |
| Impact | One abstract (poster presentation) at the 2025 Diffusion Workshop of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine; two abstracts (one oral presentation; one poster presentation) at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Collaboration with the School of Mathematical Sciences at the Queensland University of Technology (Brisbane, Australia) |
| Organisation | Queensland University of Technology (QUT) |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I have hosted Dr Qianqian Yang, Senior Lecturer in applied and computational mathematics at the School of Mathematical Sciences at QUT, for 3 months in my team at Cardiff University. During her stay at Cardiff University, Dr. Yang and my team used the advanced simulation framework for simulating diffusion-weighted MRI signals and understanding the link between the parameters of the fractional diffusion models Dr. Yang developed and the underlying brain cellular mirostructure. We provided expertise and codes, as well as data for pilot results used in a follow-up succesfull grant application. |
| Collaborator Contribution | In 2022, I was hosted for one month and half at the the School of Mathematical Sciences at QUT, fully sponsored by QUT. During my stay, Dr. Yang and her team at QUT invited me as keynote lecturer at the CTAC22, and provided valuable support for the etsablishment of this long-standing collaboration. |
| Impact | The work conducted during this collaboration produced preliminary results that were presented at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (poster) and were included in an ARC Discovery Project proposal which was awarded in 2025 AUD 592,000. This project aims to develop the next generation mathematical framework to interpret and model diffusion-weighted MRI signals. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Organised Hackathon: VIC-HACK 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The goal of VIC-HACK 2024 was to bring together researchers from a wide range of backgrounds to collaborate on open science projects in neuroimaging and computer science. Participants came from across the UK and from overseas for the three-day-long hackathon, where projects included: - Adapting to patient motion in ultrahigh-field MRI - Automatically labelling medical data from diagnosis reports - 'NiiView': Medical Image Visualisation App - 'Serial Scope': Making an easy way to view real-time sensor data The primary purpose of this hackathon was to promote creativity, problem-solving, and the application of visual computing technologies. Participants engage in hands-on projects, aiming to develop prototypes or solutions that address specific challenges in visual computing. Impacts include the fostering of new collaboration between diverse teams within Cardiff Univeristy and between Cardiff University and other institutions in the UK and Europe (e.g., UCL, UMC Utrecht); skill development in programming and visual design of PhD students and postdocs, and the potential for innovative ideas to progress into further research or commercial applications. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/2829354-behind-the-scenes-at-the-visual-computing-hackathon |
| Description | Organised International Workshop MIML: Microstructure Imaging meets Machine Learning |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Approximately 60 undergrad/postgrad students, researchers and scientists from both academia and industry coming from all around the world participated to this workshop focussed on how modern machine learning can improve medical imaging. The event sparked questions and discussion which lead to fruitful collaborations and successful grant applications afterwards. Examples are a newly awarded grant from Roche (DEPICT project) and from the Cancer Research Wales (MIMOSA project). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://miml.cubric.cf.ac.uk/ |
| Description | Organised the Annual Meeting of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) as member of the Annual Meeting Programme Committee (AMPC) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | As a member of the ISMRM AMPC, I have been directly involved in the organization of the Annual Meeting of the ISMRM for 2024, 2025 and 2026. The Annual Meeting of the ISMRM is the biggest and most important/prestigious international conference for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. Yearly, the Annual Meeting of ISMRM gathers between 5,000 and 8,000 attendees from all over the world. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |
| Description | Organized International Workshop 'Microstructure by the Lake' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Approximately 55 researchers from 12 international institutions participated to this workshop focussed on establishing new collaborations and planning joint multi-centre grant proposals on microstructure imaging through MRI. The event sparked fruitful new collaborations, plans to prepare a joint proposal for ERC Synergy grant and the organization of a second event in Barcelona on October 2024. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | http://hardi.epfl.ch/static/events/Microstructure_2023/index.html |
| Description | Organized Lectures on Magnetic Resonance within the European Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and Biology (ESMRMB) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Over 70 between students, researchers in academia and industry and academics attended this 3-day in person course, which included technical practical tips to perform diffusion-weighted MR Imaging (dMRI) and Spectroscopy (dMRS) and didactic learning skills to acquire, process, analyze and interpret dMRI/dMRS data. All the attendees reported full satisfaction with the course and the learnt skills, which they are now using to start dMRI/dMRS studies in their respective institutions. The students received awards and certificates that enhanced their CV. My host institution, Cardiff University, reported increased interest in medical imaging, with my team in particular receiving more requests for internships and PhD projects. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.esmrmb.org/education/lectures-on-mr/ |