Marie-Curie Fellow
Research & Training Network
P. Nunes (ESR)

Marie Curie Fellow (ESR) of the FAST project
Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Netherlands
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• T2 Acquisition
  Task 2 exploits the strong synergy between signal processing and MR methodology to reduce the MRSI acquisition-time. It shall use the latest technical developments and (confidential) expertise of our Industrial partners Philips and Siemens concerning high-speed gradients, coil arrays, novel pulse sequence designs for extending the limits of spatial resolution, temporal resolution, and SNR. T2 and T4 also investigate and develop advanced, innovative ways of acquiring MRSI data, at the forefront of MR-methodology. This is a highly challenging task exploring uncharted paths. Data of patients with brain, prostate and breast cancer, diabetes, etc., and of healthy controls will be acquired, co-registered and evaluated with MRI. High-Resolution Magic-Angle Spinning (HRMAS) NMR spectroscopy will provide additional chemical analysis of targeted tissues. Ideally, the feasibility of new concepts can be tested with the virtual scanner of task T3. Ultimately, T2 leads to ultra-fast MRSI. Philips and Siemens play an important role in this task.

• T6 Applications
  Task 6 judges and criticizes/approves FAST's innovations in preclinical and clinical settings. T6 also improves knowledge about diseases and metabolomics, gathered through MRSI. In essence, metabolomics pertains to identification of as many metabolites as possible and to understand each in its own biochemical context. MRSI can measure metabolite concentrations, chemical shifts, pH, etc. non-invasively and therefore has a huge potential for this task. Through time, much more emphasis will be placed on diagnosing and treating symptoms before secondary symptoms occur -- prevention rather than the cure of a (potential) disease. The role of Industrial partner Sanofi-Aventis is important in this task.

The main aim of my PhD work is the distribution of lipids/fat.