Alteration and Renovation

摘要/摘要：改建与改造

Abstract/Summary: Alteration & Renovation The proposed alteration and renovation project would create an optically-pumped magnetometry (OPM) suite for investigators in the Center for Pediatric Brain Health. OPM is an emerging technology for recording human neurophysiological signals noninvasively at high spatial and temporal precision. The technology is totally silent, lightweight, and especially unique in that the recording array is highly malleable and can be worn as a cap. This flexibility makes the technology ideal for young children and even infants, as the cap can be tightly fitted to smaller heads. Further, since the device is fitted to the person, movement is less problematic relative to other brain imaging methods (e.g., functional MRI, MEG, etc.), which again makes it ideal for studying children. Given these properties and the Center’s major strengths in neurophysiology and brain dynamics, we anticipate that an OPM system would be widely utilized by Center investigators, including at least two of the four COBRE research project leaders (RPLs). Thus, we propose to finish-out an OPM suite and construct a magnetically- shielded room to house the OPM sensor array through this renovation project. Once the renovation is complete, Boys Town National Research Hospital (BTNRH) will support the purchase of a state-of-the-art OPM system. As stated elsewhere in the application, the new Center for Pediatric Brain Health would reside in the Institute for Human Neuroscience building at BTNRH, which is a new 15,000+ square feet facility on their main campus. This building was largely completed in 2020, with the only remaining unfinished areas being a ~245 square feet room that is adjacent to some of the Institute’s other imaging equipment, and a portion of the basement. The ~245 square feet space sits on the ground level and was originally designated as a possible site for a future OPM system, given its distance from the MRI, low overall noise level, and other parameters. However, the space was left unfinished during the major construction period because the precise dimensions and weight of the shielded room were unknown, and these were needed to complete the cement work. Thus, we propose to transform this space into a fully-operational OPM suite. The project will involve extensive cement work to create an 18” deep, 10’2” square pit to hold the shielded room, as well as modifications to the mechanical, electrical, and other building systems serving the room. New ceiling, sound-proofing, flooring, and cabinetry will also be installed. Finally, a two-layer, high-performance magnetically-shielded room will be built within the pit. The overall build-out plans were designed by the Leo A. Daly architectural firm, with Hawkins construction performing the work. The shielded room would be built by Cerca Magnetics. We expect all construction to be completed during year one of the COBRE funding and that the OPM system would be fully operational by the middle of year two. Once operational, the OPM suite would be managed and supported by the Center’s Neural Quantification & Imaging Core.