# Acquisition of a Bruker 11.7T/16cm Preclinical Scanner for Novel MRI/MRSI Studies

> **NIH NIH S10** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2023 · $2,000,000

## Abstract

Transgenic rodents are the most important translational model for studying pathogenesis and treatment of
disease. However magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) as well as spectroscopic
imaging (MRSI) studies of transgenic mouse and recently transgenic rat have been limited due to not having
sufficient spatial resolution to distinguish key anatomic structures such as cortical columns and layers. With
development of ultrahigh field (UHF) animal MR systems, using cryogenic technology for sensitivity
enhancement, there is unique opportunity to break this sensitivity barrier allowing ultrahigh resolution
functional, structural, and metabolic 3D brain imaging in transgenic models, with a direct path to translation to
human studies. The primary goal of this proposal is to install and develop capabilities of a state-of-the-art
UHF Bruker 11.7T/16cm preclinical scanner with cryoprobes for 1H and X nuclei at Yale's Magnetic Resonance
Research Center (MRRC) for ultrahigh resolution functional, structural, and metabolic imaging in small
animals, fixed tissues, and human organoids. Our primary Justification of Need is that this new system will
replace an unsupported 20-year old 11.7T pumped magnet with extremely high helium costs that is close to
failure. The new 11.7T system will allow our outstanding userbase, and investigators throughout the NIH
community, to continue their funded research on a reliable state-of-the-art system, and obtain several-fold
sensitivity gains for multi-modal MRI/MRSI via cryogenic coil technology and to answer cutting edge basic and
translational neuroscience research questions. The system will be managed by a team of MRI/MRSI
researchers with outstanding Technical Expertise and decades of track record in operating and developing
UHF systems for MRI/MRSI studies. We have identified 14 Major Users with 18 NIH Research Projects that
will most benefit from the new system along with 8 Minor Users. Several are from peer institutions who are
performing their preclinical MRI/MRSI projects at Yale MRRC due to our unique method developments. The
Administration plan builds on our 35-year experience in facility management, with highly experienced
operations, steering, and advisory committees with leading intramural and extramural researchers. Yale
University will provide a substantial Institutional Commitment totaling $2,100,000 in matching funds towards
the system's cost and pay for complete installation. The system will also benefit Trainee Education based on
participation of many of the core MR faculty in mentoring of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, as
well as classroom teaching. By combining UHF with superior gradient performance and cryoprobes for 1H and
X nuclei we anticipate an approximately 2.5- to 4-fold gain in sensitivity over our existing unsupported 11.7T
system. These improvements will allow translation of our multinuclear and multimodal MRI/MRSI to studies of
the transgenic mouse brain and ultra...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10630511
- **Project number:** 1S10OD034234-01
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Dewan Syed Fahmeed Hyder
- **Activity code:** S10 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $2,000,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-09-15 → 2026-04-14

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10630511

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10630511, Acquisition of a Bruker 11.7T/16cm Preclinical Scanner for Novel MRI/MRSI Studies (1S10OD034234-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10630511. Licensed CC0.

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