EAPSI: Sensitivity Enhancement in Solution NMR by Nonlinear High-Field Effects

该项目支持与台湾国立台湾大学(NTU)化学系世界知名高场核磁共振和仪器专家林英志教授合作进行研究，以开发核磁共振领域的创新方法。这一新的发展可以显著提高核磁共振的光谱灵敏度和核磁共振成像(MRI)的图像对比度，例如碳-13。在8周的资助期内，我们将把重点放在MRI对比度增强上。目前的磁共振成像技术存在对比度和灵敏度低以及人体内存在巨大的背景信号等问题。异核分子成像(如碳-13)可以解决背景信号的问题，但也存在灵敏度低的问题。目前的合作项目是开发基于非线性自旋动力学的创新方法，利用碳13磁共振波谱和显微成像来提高灵敏度和/或对比度。更广泛的影响包括非常早地发现微小的恶性肿瘤(第一阶段或第二阶段)，这可以挽救大约30%的死于癌症的人的生命。这个项目将包括一种平衡的方法，一方面在加州大学洛杉矶分校发展对非线性自旋动力学的严格理论理解，以及在南大EAPSI研究期间，合理的方法和仪器证明生物分子核磁共振的灵敏度显著提高。这将利用两个主要发现：1)主动反馈机制；2)通过偶极相互作用间接检测碳-13，以缓解核磁共振灵敏度的根本限制。这项研究的学术价值在于引导自旋物理(主动反馈磁共振)的进展转化为具有有价值的生物医学应用(分子成像和早期肿瘤检测)的异核磁共振的重大改进。其更广泛的影响在于加速基于MR的物理肿瘤学和纳米医学的未来发展，从而将磁共振和基础成像研究转化为拯救生命的应用。该奖项由东亚和太平洋夏季学院计划资助一名美国研究生的夏季研究，由NSF和台湾科技部联合资助。

This project supports research in a collaboration with Prof. Ying-Chih Lin, a world-renowned expert on high-field NMR and instrumentation, in the department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University (NTU) in Taiwan to develop innovative methodology in the field of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). This new development could significantly enhance the spectral sensitivity in NMR and image contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for heteronuclei such as of Carbon-13. Over the 8-week funding period, we will focus on MRI contrast enhancement. Current MRI technique suffers from the poor contrast and sensitivity and the presence of huge background signals in our body. Heteronuclear molecular imaging (e.g. Carbon-13) can resolve the problem of background signal, but again suffers from poor sensitivity. The current collaborative project is to develop innovative approaches to enhance the sensitivity and/or contrast using Carbon-13 MR spectroscopy and micro imaging based on the nonlinear spin dynamics. The broader impact includes the very early detection (stage I or II) of tiny malignant tumor, which can save about 30% of those who die of cancers.This project will encompass a balanced approach to develop a rigorous theoretical understanding of nonlinear spin dynamics at UCLA on one hand and sound methodology and instrumentation to demonstrate significant sensitivity enhancement in biomolecular NMR during the EAPSI research at NTU. This will utilize two major findings i) active feedback mechanism and ii) indirect detection of Carbon-13 through dipolar interaction to alleviate the fundamental limitation in NMR sensitivity. The intellectual merits of the proposed research lie in channeling progress in spin physics (Active-Feedback Magnetic Resonance) into significant improvements in heteronuclear MRI with valuable biomedical applications (molecular imaging and early tumor detection). Its broader impacts lie in accelerating future developments of MR-based physical oncology and nano medicine, thereby transforming magnetic resonance and fundamental imaging research into life-saving applications.This award under the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program supports summer research by a U.S. graduate student and is jointly funded by NSF and the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan.