New scanning technology developed in £7m research centre
Posted on 1 July 2010
Hyperpolarisation with parahydrogen is a technique developed at the University that can dramatically increase the sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the scanning technology widely used in hospitals.
It is hoped hyperpolarisation will eventually be used to help doctors make diagnoses in minutes that currently take days and tailor treatments more accurately to the needs of individual patients.
The research team, led by Professors Simon Duckett and Gary Green of the Departments of Chemistry and Psychology respectively, has secured a £4.36m grant from the Wellcome Trust and Wolfson Foundation, as well as financial support from industrial partners and the University, to build the York Centre for Hyperpolarisation in Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
Professor Duckett said: “Although MRI is already an incredibly useful technique its sensitivity is in fact very low, rather like finding a needle in a haystack, which makes it difficult to detect the early stages of disease. It can also be very slow, limiting the way MRI is used in clinical settings.”
Professor Green added: “The success of the early stages of developing hyperpolarisation to improve the sensitivity and speed of imaging suggests this technique has huge potential to improve the treatment received by patients with a wide range of medical conditions.”
The York Centre for Hyperpolarisation will bring together researchers from across the Departments of Chemistry, Psychology, the Hull York Medical School and Biology to develop this technology. The team will also be working with Professor Jürgen Hennig of the University Hospital Freiburg, one of the world’s leading experts in the medical application of MRI technology.
The success of the early stages of developing hyperpolarisation to improve the sensitivity and speed of imaging suggests this technique has huge potential to improve the treatment received by patients with a wide range of medical conditions
Professor Gary Green
Professor Brian Cantor, Vice-Chancellor of the University of York, said: “This award from the Wellcome Trust and Wolfson Foundation recognises both the exciting nature of this world-leading research and the University’s capacity across a range of disciplines to develop its clinical application.
“By drawing together researchers with a range of expertise and engaging with industry at the early stages this Centre will transform this important scientific discovery into a valuable medical tool.”
Hyperpolarisation involves transferring the magnetism of parahydrogen to molecules making them more visible to nuclear magnetic resonance, an important research tool in chemistry, and magnetic resonance imaging. The new Centre’s early research programme will develop the chemical basis of this method to make it suitable for medical applications.
Professor Ian Watt, Interim Dean of the Hull York Medical School, said: “MRI is already an important diagnostic tool for conditions including brain disorders, heart and circulation problems and cancers. This research programme could mark a major step in the evolution of this technology.”
Dr Mark Mortimer, Director of the University’s Research and Enterprise Office, said: "The funding of this Centre provides a fantastic platform for industrial partners to collaborate in this research programme, helping to turn a fundamental scientific discovery into available products bringing major benefits to patients."
Notes to editors:
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The Wellcome Trust and Wolfson
Foundation today announced the £4.36m grant in support of this project.
- The following researchers were co-applicants on the award from the Wellcome Trust and Wolfson Foundation: Professor Duncan Bruce (Chemistry), Professor Roderick Hubbard (Chemistry), Professor Ian Fairlamb (Chemistry), Dr Victor Chechik (Chemistry), Dr Jennifer Potts (Chemistry and Biology), Professor Paul Kaye (Biology) and Professor Juergen Hennig. Professor Paul Walton, Head of the Department of Chemistry, is the coordinating applicant.
- Professor Simon Duckett is Director of the York Centre for Magnetic Resonance, part of the Department of Chemistry.
- Professor Gary Green is Director of the York Neuroimaging Centre, part of the Department of Psychology.
- Details of parahydrogen based hyperpolarisation methods and a video explaining the technique are available at www.york.ac.uk/res/sbd/parahydrogen/sabre.html.
- The underpinning research has been developed over a number of years with support from the University of York, the White Rose Health Innovation Partnership, the EPSRC, the MRC, the BBSRC, the Spanish MEC (Project Consolider ORFEO (CSD 2007-00006)) and Bruker BioSpin.
- Yorkshire Forward Proof of Concept funding and EPSRC follow on funding has been received to explore the commercial opportunities of this technology.
- The Departments of Chemistry, Biology and Psychology were all ranked in the top ten in the country in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise.
- The Hull York Medical School was established as a joint venture between the Universities of Hull and York, in partnership with the National Health Service. It capitalises on Hull’s considerable strengths in clinical medicine and York’s internationally recognised work in bioscience and health-related research.
- The Research and Enterprise Office at the University of York works closely with companies and the public sector. It creates new opportunities for research partnerships, spinning out new companies from University research, licensing intellectual property and building a growing enterprise culture with students.
- The Wellcome Trust is a global charity dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health. It supports the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities. The Trust’s breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health. It is independent of both political and commercial interests.
- The Wolfson Foundation is a charitable foundation set up in 1955. Grants are given to support excellence and to act as a catalyst. There is a continued emphasis on funding infrastructure for science and technology, health, education, and the arts.
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