A cutting-edge radio-frequency coil for structural and functional MRI of the primate brain at ultra-high magnetic field

我们要求在高磁场(7特斯拉)下为警觉和麻醉的灵长类大脑的结构和功能MRI定制一个尖端射频(RF)线圈，一个用于警觉灵长类功能MRI的与MRI兼容的椅子，以及一个在麻醉状态下使用的与MRI兼容的灵长类动物床。所要求的设备将支持七个研究灵长类大脑的优秀研究实验室。研究项目包括：评估、优化和验证基于无创MRI的分割大脑的方法；高分辨率结构MRI用于研究手控以及运动皮质和深核可塑性的神经机制；电极至前庭深核的精确引导；高保真MRI用于了解前庭信号的处理；开发、优化和验证在解剖引导下对PET数据进行三维重建的新方法；以及高分辨率MRI用于精确建模经颅电刺激期间的电流分布。麦吉尔大学和蒙特利尔大学共同组成了世界上最大的灵长类大脑研究实验室社区之一(大约占加拿大所有此类实验室的60%)。所要求的射频线圈将是加拿大第一个此类线圈。目前所有的研究项目都使用一个标准的射频线圈，专门为人头成像而设计。然而，线圈元件远离非人类灵长类动物的头部，因为它的尺寸相对于人类头部的大小较小。由于神经科学界已经认识到，要了解大脑功能，需要在系统神经科学和神经成像之间架起桥梁，因此出现了对所需的RF-线圈的需求。所要求的射频线圈将使我们的实验室有可能继续在全球领先的灵长类大脑研究。在一个以男性PI为主的领域，我们的群体包括2名女性PI，1名来自代表不足的少数民族的PI，以及5名男性PI。申请者的实验室总共接待了42名研究生和博士后研究员，其中包括18名女性实习生和9名代表不足的少数族裔的实习生。我们的学员将获得学术界和高科技行业高度需要的技能，包括动物训练、尖端核磁共振和定量方法方面的技能，包括图像和信号处理、统计学、人工智能和神经导航。使用要求的射频线圈获得的数据将丰富我们的受训人员，他们专门采集数据和简单分析，以及那些专门从事高水平医学图像分析的人员，这将为学术界和高科技生物医学成像行业提供机会。

We request a cutting-edge radio-frequency (RF) coil custom-made for structural and functional MRI of the alert and anesthetized primate brain at a high magnetic field (7 Tesla), an MRI-compatible chair for alert primate functional MRI, and an MRI-compatible primate bed for use in the anesthetized state. The requested equipment will support seven excellent research laboratories that investigate the primate brain. The research projects span evaluation, optimization, and validation of non-invasive MRI-based methods for parcellating the brain; high-resolution structural MRI to study the neuronal mechanisms underlying hand control and plasticity of the motor cortex and deep nuclei; precise guidance of electrodes to the deep vestibular nuclei; high-fidelity MRI of the deep cerebellar nuclei for understanding the processing of vestibular signals; development, optimization, and validation of novel methods for anatomically-guided 3D reconstruction of PET data; and high-resolution MRI for precise modeling of the electric current distribution during transcranial electrical stimulation. McGill University and U de Montreal together form one of the largest communities of primate brain research laboratories in the world (approximately 60% of all such laboratories in Canada). The requested RF coil will be the first of its kind in Canada. All research programs currently use a standard RF coil designed for imaging the human head. However, the coil elements are far from the head of the non-human primate, because of its smaller size relative to the size of the human head. The need for the requested RF-coil has emerged because the neuroscience community has realized that to understand brain function, bridges are required between systems neuroscience and neuroimaging. The requested RF-coil will make it possible for our laboratories to continue leading primate brain research worldwide. In a field that is dominated by male PIs, our group includes 2 female PIs, one PI from an underrepresented minority, and five male PIs. The laboratories of the applicants host collectively 42 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, including 18 female trainees and 9 trainees of underrepresented minorities origin. Our trainees will acquire skills that are highly demanded in academia and the high-tech industry sector, including skills in animal training, cutting-edge MRI, and quantitative methods, including image and signal processing, statistics, artificial intelligence, and neuronavigation. The data obtained using the requested RF-coil will enrich the repertoire available to our trainees who specialize in acquiring data and simple analysis, as well as those who specialize in high-level medical image analysis, opening opportunities in academia and the high-tech biomedical imaging industry.