# Seven tesla preclinical MRI/S scanner for structural, functional and molecular imaging

> **NIH NIH S10** · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · 2021 · $2,000,000

## Abstract

The University of Florida (UF) requests funds to purchase a state-of-the-art preclinical 7 Tesla (7 T) magnetic
resonance imaging and spectroscopy (MRI/S) system to support biomedical research using advanced
anatomic, functional, spectroscopic, metabolic and physiologic imaging approaches. The proposed
instrument will provide much needed advanced technologies that are not available on our current aged and
technologically-obsolete preclinical 4.7 T MRI/S system located in the Advanced Magnetic Resonance
Imaging and Spectroscopy (AMRIS) Facility at UF. The AMRIS Facility is uniquely positioned as part of both
the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and the McKnight Brain Institute. It supports MRI and in vivo
spectroscopy development and applications at ultra-high fields (led by Marcelo Febo, Tom Mareci, Matt
Merritt, and Glenn Walter) as well as translational research in neuroimaging of cognitive function and disease
(including the preclinical work of Jose Abisambra, Sara Burke, Eduardo Candelario-Jalil, Tom Foster, Todd
Golde, Catherine Kaczorowski, Duane Mitchell, Barry Setlow, Malu Tansey, Shahab Vadhat, David
Vaillancourt, Kevin Wang, and Lakiesha Williams), muscular and cardiac imaging associated with Duchenne
muscular dystrophy (including the preclinical work of Sean Forbes, Lee Sweeney, and Glenn Walter), and in
vivo measurements of metabolism and its impacts in disease (Charlie Khemtong and Matt Merritt). This
instrument will provide an important bridge between our clinical research program at 3 T and our high-field
basic research program utilizing our existing 11.1 T/40 cm and 17.6 T/8.9 cm MRI/S systems. Our existing
preclinical systems (the 11.1 T and aged 4.7 T systems) support 21 NIH-funded research projects, with 17
of them (from 11 major users and four minor users) able to maximally benefit from the acquisition of the
proposed 7 T system and four of them (minor users) taking advantage of field-dependent measurement
capabilities. The proposed 7 T MRI/S system will (i) offer optimal user accessibility for non-expert users
routinely using MRI/S protocols in their research, (ii) allow maximal research support by enabling us to
balance the usage and configurations of our MRI/S systems, (iii) significantly improve sensitivity and
resolution compared to our existing 4.7 T system, and (iv) provide an optimal field for translational research
integrating preclinical disease model studies with clinical studies in humans.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10175370
- **Project number:** 1S10OD030293-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** Joanna R Long
- **Activity code:** S10 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $2,000,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-07-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10175370

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10175370, Seven tesla preclinical MRI/S scanner for structural, functional and molecular imaging (1S10OD030293-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10175370. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*