MRI: Acquisition of a high-resolution ultrasound imaging instrument for research and education

通过检测声音的反射来识别物体的形状和结构，导致了超声成像系统的发现，这种系统经常用于医学监测和诊断。然而，这种变革性技术在材料和工程中的应用仍鲜有人探索。通过重大研究仪器(MRI)计划获得的新超声成像系统将使NDSU和UND的研究人员能够研究声音和物体之间的串扰，进而可以揭示其环境中生物和非生物材料之间的新现象和相互作用。这一方法将极大地扩展由现有教职员工、研究生和博士后实习生进行的多学科研究。除了传统的诊断监测外，这种由NSF支持的成像系统采购将用于发现生物材料与其包裹结构的共生关系、细胞与其生物利基的相互作用，以及用于细胞培养的3D打印支架的开发。此外，还将使用高分辨率超声成像仪来探索纳米和微米材料在生物和物理刺激下的形状和尺寸的微小变化。该仪器将作为NDSU和UND校区现有用户和潜在用户的培训和教学平台。此外，成像系统将是这些大学外展基础设施的重要补充，并将有助于在该地区的美洲原住民学生、高中生和K-12学生中传播STEM教育。主要研究仪器(MRI)计划的奖励为北达科他州州立大学(NDSU)和北达科他州大学(UND)购买高频、高分辨率超声成像系统，用于材料、高分子和细胞生物学研究和教育。作为一种获得各种材料和微结构的高分辨率图像的非侵入性手段，超声在成本、可负担性和安全性方面优于磁共振成像(MRI)和计算机断层扫描(CT)。所提出的成像系统通过计算感兴趣区域(例如，聚合物材料、细胞球体、肿瘤等)之间的超声阻抗差来工作。以及周围的微环境(例如，用于生长细胞球体、组织基质、肿瘤块等的支架)。新的仪器将加强协同作用，并启动NDSU和UND在药学、化学和工程学方面的多学科合作研究。最初的用户包括13名教职员工、31名研究生和31名本科生，他们代表了一群不同的研究人员，他们共同感兴趣的是探索材料和生物系统中超声成像的交叉能力。我们期待通过利用网络基础设施进行仪器调度和数据传输，增加其他研究人员的参与。除了增进基础知识和理解之外，该项目还将作为一种强有力的教学方式，将通过使用这一工具获得的成果纳入三个研究生课程和两个本科课程。此外，该项目将加强北达科他州州立大学和北达科他州大学的外展工作，包括招收来自北达科他州保留地的优秀原住民学生参加研究生和本科课程，以及培训有抱负的高中和K-12学生进行STEM教育。

Detecting the reflection of sound to identify the shape and structure of an object led to the discovery of ultrasound imaging systems, frequently used for medical monitoring and diagnosis. However, the use of this transformative technology in materials and engineering remains less explored. The new ultrasound imaging system acquired through the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program will enable NDSU and UND researchers to investigate the cross-talk between sound and object which, in turn, can reveal novel phenomena and interactions between biological and non-biological materials within their environment. The approach will significantly expand the multidisciplinary research conducted by the current faculty members, graduate students, and postdoctoral trainees. Above and beyond the conventional diagnostic monitoring, this NSF-supported procurement of the imaging system will be used to discover the symbiosis of biomaterials with their encapsulating structure, interactions of cells with their biological niche, and for the development of 3D-printed scaffolds for cell culture. In addition, the high-resolution ultrasound imaging instrument will be used to explore the small changes in the shape and size of nano- and micromaterials in response to biological and physical stimuli. The instrument will be used as a training and teaching platform to existing and prospective users across NDSU and UND campuses. Furthermore, the imaging system will be an essential addition to the outreach infrastructures of these universities, and will contribute to the dissemination of STEM education among Native American students of the region and high school and K-12 students.The award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program provides support to North Dakota State University (NDSU) and the University of North Dakota (UND) to purchase a high-frequency, high-resolution, ultrasound imaging system for materials, macromolecular, and cell biology research and education. As a non-invasive modality to obtain high-resolution images of a variety of materials and microstructures, ultrasound outperforms Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) regarding cost, affordability, and safety. The proposed imaging system functions by calculating the difference of ultrasound impedance between the region of interest (e.g., polymer materials, cell spheroids, tumors, etc.) and the surrounding microenvironment (e.g., the scaffold for growing the cell spheroids, tissue matrix, tumor mass, etc.). The new instrument will strengthen synergy and initiate multidisciplinary collaborative research both at NDSU and UND in pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, and engineering. The initial users of 13 faculty members, 31 graduate, and 31 undergraduate students represent a diverse ensemble of researchers with the common interest of exploring the cross-cutting capability of ultrasound imaging in materials and biological systems. We are expecting an increased participation of other researchers through the utilization of cyberinfrastructure for instrument scheduling and data transfer. Aside from advancing fundamental knowledge and understanding, the project will serve as a robust teaching modality by incorporating the results obtained via the use of this instrument into three graduate and two undergraduate courses. In addition, the project will reinforce NDSU and UND's outreach efforts that include recruiting meritorious Native-American students from North Dakota reservations to the graduate and undergraduate programs, as well as training aspiring high school and K-12 students in STEM education.