News
[Imaging Agora] 4/3/17 Sam Patz – “Functional Neuro-Imaging with Magnetic Resonance Elastography”
The next Imaging Agora is scheduled for next Monday, April 3 at 4:30 pm in 110 Cummington Rm 245. Our presenter is Sam Patz, Professor of Radiology Harvard Medical School and Director of Low Field and Pulmonary MRI Labs at BWH. The title and abstract are below. Pizza will be served.
Functional Neuro-Imaging with Magnetic Resonance Elastography
An entirely new method to measure brain function and that is based on Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) will be presented. Initial data have been obtained by applying an electrical stimulation to the hind limb of mice. This functional stimulation results in a localized increase in observed cortical stiffness. Mechanisms that could potentially explain this phenomenon will be discussed. Of fundamental importance is whether or not the underlying mechanism responsible for the observed change in stiffness is related to primary or secondary neuronal activity. Measurement of brain function with MRI is typically accomplished with a technique known as functional-MRI (fMRI) that is based on a secondary response to neuronal activity. This well know Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) effect is due to a neuro-vascular coupling where MR contrast depends on the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin. The BOLD effect is rather slow with a time constant ranging from 2-6 seconds. Additional data will be presented showing that the functional MRE (fMRE) response is much faster and therefore is potentially measuring fundamental primary neuronal processes.
[BWH Pathology Grand Rounds] Feb 6, 2017
BWH PATHOLOGY GRAND ROUNDS
Monday, February 6, 2017; 1 - 2 p.m.
Towards Comprehensive Biological Analysis of Intact Cells and Tissues: Expansion Microscopy, Optogenetics, and Other Tools
Edward Boyden, Ph. D.
Associate Professor, MIT Media Lab and McGovern Institute,
Departments of Biological Engineering and Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Brigham & Women's Hospital; The Ramzi Cotran Conference Center, 3rd Floor,
Amory Building, Room AL 360F.1; 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115
Edward Boyden leads the Media Lab’s Synthetic Neurobiology group, which develops tools for analyzing and repairing complex biological systems, such as the brain, and applies them systematically both to reveal ground truth principles of biological function and to repair these systems.
These technologies, often created in interdisciplinary collaborations, include expansion microscopy (which enables complex biological systems to be imaged with nanoscale precision) optogenetic tools (which enable the activation and silencing of neural activity with light,) and optical, nanofabricated, and robotic interfaces (which enable recording and control of neural dynamics).
Amongst other recognitions, Boyden has received the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences (2016), the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award (2015), the Society for Neuroscience Young Investigator Award (2015), the Carnegie Prize in Mind and Brain Sciences (2015), the Jacob Heskel Gabbay Award (2013), the Grete Lundbeck Brain Prize (2013), the NIH Director's Pioneer Award (2013), the NIH Director's Transformative Research Award (twice, 2012 and 2013), and the Perl/UNC Neuroscience Prize (2011). He was also named to the World Economic Forum Young Scientist list (2013), MIT Technology Review’s international "Top 35 Innovators under Age 35" list (2006), and his work was included in Nature Methods "Method of the Year" in 2010.
[Imaging Agora] 1/18/17 David Boas – “Introduction to Neurophotonics”
David Boas, an expert in optics and neurophotonics, is joining the BU faculty this year. He will present on his research and a new training program in neurophotonics.
The talk is sponsored by BU’s NSF NRT Understanding the Brain: Neurophotonics. Please register and attend the Introduction to Neurophotonics Seminar on Wednesday, January 18 at 11:30 am at the Photonics Center.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/introduction-to-neurophotonics-tickets-30220640750
[Imaging Agora] 12/5/16 Alex Lin – “The Virtual Biopsy: Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of Traumatic Brain Injury”
Alex Lin is our next Imaging Agora speaker this Monday, Dec. 5 @ 4 pm in 110 Cummington Mall, Rm 245.
The Virtual Biopsy: Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of Traumatic Brain Injury
Abstract: Advances in neuroimaging provide us with greater insight to brain injury than ever before. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a non-invasive method of measuring brain chemistry altered by bran injury using readily available MRI, thus providing a virtual biopsy of concussions. A review of the technology and current findings from the acute to chronic stages of mild brain injury, including the rising concern of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in sports and military-related repetitive brain trauma, will be discussed.
Bio: Alexander P. Lin, PhD is an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and director of the Center for Clinical Spectroscopy at Brigham and Women¹s Hospital. Dr. Lin earned his doctorate in Molecular Biochemistry and Biophysics from the California Institute of Technology. He has been
involved in magnetic resonance spectroscopy since 1997 both from a research and clinical perspective. His primary research focus is on sports and military-related brain injury which has been featured by the
media and funded by that National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense.
[Imaging Agora] 11/14/16 Nathan McDannold – “Towards Brain Tumor Treatment with Ultrasound Triggered Drug Delivery”
The physiology of the vasculature in the central nervous system (CNS), which includes the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and other factors, complicates the delivery of most drugs to the brain. Despite having only a partially-intact BBB, brain tumors also pose challenges to drug delivery. Different methods have been used to bypass the BBB and the “blood-tumor barrier” (BTB), but they have limitations such as being invasive, non-targeted or requiring the formulation of new drugs. Focused ultrasound (FUS), when combined with circulating microbubbles, is a noninvasive method to locally and transiently permeabilize the BBB and the BTB. This review will provide insight on the current status of this unique drug delivery technique, experience in preclinical models, and potential for clinical translation for the treatment of primary and metastatic brain tumors. If translated to humans, this method could enable the use of the whole arsenal of anticancer drugs that are currently ineffective in brain tumor patients.
Dr. McDannold is an Associate Professor in Radiology at Harvard Medical School. He has been working in the Focused Ultrasound Laboratory at Brigham & Women’s Hospital since 1996. His work has been primarily concerned with the development and implementation of ultrasound-based therapies, image-guidance methods, and clinical focused ultrasound treatments. In recent years, a main focus of his work has been studying the use of ultrasound for temporary disruption of the blood-brain barrier, which may allow for targeted drug delivery in the brain. Dr. McDannold received his PhD in Physics from Tufts University in 2002.
[Imaging Agora] 9/26/16 Dr. Steven Seltzer – Radiology at BWH and CIBR
Our first speaker is Dr. Steven Seltzer who will give an overview of Radiology at BWH (clinical sections, pioneering work, ongoing innovations, etc) and the CIBR. All past and present imaging trainees are invite.
When: Monday Sept. 26 @ 4pm in 110 Cummington Rm 245.