Project Summary/Abstract The 8th International Workshop of chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI in November 2020 (CEST2020) brings together an international community of experts in CEST imaging. CEST MRI has gained tremendous interest from the research community, and many leading institutions have joined forces to optimize CEST MRI and develop new applications in a host of diseases including acute stroke, epilepsy, and, most importantly, tumor imaging. Recently, machine learning and neuron networks have been explored for CEST imaging. The CEST 2020 forges research and learning opportunities for students and young researchers in a dedicated forum unmatched by other meetings. CEST 2020 is being organized by Phillip Zhe Sun, Ph.D. (Emory University), in conjunction with the CEST Workshop steering committee of well- established scholars in the CEST MRI field. It will run November 8-11, 2020, at the Emory Conference Center Hotel located on the Emory University campus in Atlanta, Georgia. The goal is to bring together researchers from varying backgrounds and clinicians from related disciplines and to provide a forum for communication among these multi-disciplinary groups. The workshop will feature a blend of plenary sessions, invited scientific presentations, manuscripts, poster presentations, and panel discussions. The meeting will provide all participants the opportunity to present and learn emerging applications of CEST imaging. Emory University researchers have contributed to the development of the CEST MRI field, from the theory, experimental optimization, and quantification. Members well established in the CEST MRI field including Dr. Peter van Zijl, Dr. Dean Sherry, Dr. John Gore, Dr. Marty Pagel, and Dr. Reddy Ravinder, will attend and present their work. This creates an outstanding intellectual enrichment opportunity not just for well-established investigators but also for students, postdocs and junior faculty as they enter into this exciting field of MRI research. The primary goal is to create opportunities and offer supportive mentoring at this formative stage in the trainee's career to enhance their research potential and the likelihood of success. We will have two plenary sessions, two poster sessions, and two power pitch sessions, in which the goal is to share the state of the art CEST research and engage newcomers to the field. Also, we will select 3-4 oral presentations for each scientific session from submitted abstracts to promote the rising stars in the field and provide our feedback on their work, strength, and, most importantly, areas to improve. This grant will support students, postdocs and junior faculty to participate in the CEST2020 Workshop.