# TR&D3: Novel Imaging Agents & Physiological Modeling for Quantitative PET/MR

> **NIH NIH P41** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $669,064

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
PET and MRI offer complementary views of physiology. The ability to measure data from both modalities
concurrently has many advantages; in addition to perfect registration, it offers the possibility of studying
biological mechanisms in ways that were heretofore impossible to realize in intact animals, including human
subjects. PET and MRI are based upon different physical principles and generally reflect different in vivo
phenomena, so the availability of multimodal hardware and data acquisition raises new opportunities and
challenges for probe development, image analysis and interpretation. Our approach to PET/MR is therefore to
develop methods that exploit the complementary information from PET and MRI, including the creation of new
radiotracers, acquisition protocols, and analysis techniques where appropriate. In the previous funding cycle,
our pharmacokinetic modeling and radiochemistry efforts resulted in the development of imaging methods and
radiotracers for PET/MR enabling non-invasive measurement of neuroreceptor signaling with PET/fMRI,
mitochondrial membrane potential in cardiac studies with a voltage-sensitive tracer and extracellular volume by
T1 mapping, radiolabeled nitroxide radicals for imaging oxidative stress, and development of radiolabeled
nanoparticles. Our recent findings and collaborations motivated methods for improved quantification of tau
burden as well as mapping cellular membrane potential and demyelination as new directions. In the renewal
application, we will build on progress made during the first funding cycle and advance our technologies to their
next stages of development. Specifically, we propose to develop PET/MR imaging methods and radiotracers
for measuring cellular membrane potential in the myocardium and mitochondrial membrane potential outside
the heart, demyelination in the brain, and immune function throughout the body. Together these novel imaging
technologies span diverse organ systems, physiological processes, and potential disease applications that will
be pursued in detail through interactions with numerous Collaborative and Service Projects.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10909231
- **Project number:** 7P41EB022544-08
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Marc David Normandin
- **Activity code:** P41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $669,064
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2017-09-30 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10909231

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10909231, TR&D3: Novel Imaging Agents & Physiological Modeling for Quantitative PET/MR (7P41EB022544-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10909231. Licensed CC0.

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