In situ imaging of living tissues with cellular spatial resolution

Coordinator: José M. BENLLOCH
Project Number: 737180

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 737180

The main objective of HISTO-MRI project is to develop the technologies that will enable the non-invasive visualization of individual human cells in vivo and in real time, based on a radical new Magnetic Resonance Imaging concept: High Frequency Pulsed MRI. To accomplish this ambitious objective, several new challenging multidisciplinary technologies will have to be developed: 1) new method for the production of magnet coils, based on additive manufacturing technology, in order to stand very high currents at very high frequencies; 2) novel high frequency high voltage pulse power sources, based of semiconductor switches, to feed those magnet coils; and new pulse sequencing and computer algorithms to deal with and analyse the enormous amount of data. Therefore, this project has a foundational character, establishing the basis for a new field of research, pulsed MRI in the high frequency regime, which will radically advance MRI performance to micron resolution.

A Proof of Concept of the new technology will be accomplished through the visualization of a mouse brain at the neuron level. This new technology will enable transformative research in the fields of neurosciences, bioengineering, biophysics and experimental oncology.