# Bioimaging Resource Core

> **NIH NIH P30** · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2024 · $151,379

## Abstract

The Bioimaging Resource Core (BRC) is a critical component of the Wake Forest Older Americans
Independence Center (WF OAIC). It provides leadership, scientific expertise, and instrumental support in
quantitative imaging, including CT, MRI, DXA, PET, and ultrasound, critical to the WF OAIC’s research theme:
Integrating pathways affecting physical function for new approaches to disability treatment and prevention. The
BRC is well integrated with other OAIC cores and supports investigators’ use of imaging to characterize body
and brain structure and function. In the present cycle, the BRC facilitated 4 OAIC scholars, 8 pilot and
development projects, contributed to 80 original papers, and 19 new NIH awards, including 5 to early-career
investigators. The BRC and the WF OAIC Biostatistics and Research Information Systems Core partnered with
the WF Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center to harmonize storage, processing, archiving, and access of
imaging data for body and brain to facilitate research integrating the biology of aging and mobility with brain
health. The BRC also developed, validated, and implemented innovative image acquisition and analysis
methods for muscle, fat, bone, and brain phenotypes.
The Specific Aims of the BRC for the new cycle are to: 1) Support pilot, development, and externally-funded
research projects with quantitative imaging phenotypes for use in observational and intervention research
evaluating factors affecting pathways to mobility disability; 2) Develop and validate new imaging measures
relevant to pathways affecting physical function. These will include trabecular and cortical bone
microarchitecture acquired with a new high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-
pQCT) scanner; CT-radiomics of muscle, fat, and bone; “CT-body-age” and “MRI-brain-age” and functional
brain network metrics associated with mobility; and 3) Apply imaging techniques in support of WF OAIC
programmatic goals by: training researchers focused on disability treatment and prevention to integrate
imaging methods; collaborating with other OAIC cores to develop multidisciplinary, translational projects; and
disseminating data and methods for use by the national research community. In the first year of the next cycle,
BRC will support 16 studies including 1 BRC-led research Development Project, 2 Pilot studies (1 led by a
REC Scholar), and 13 Externally-funded studies.
The BRC will be led by three highly experienced, independently successful investigators: Leon Lenchik, MD,
Christina Hugenschmidt, PhD and Ashley Weaver, PhD. They have complementary skills and expertise and
strong records of collaborative scientific and administrative achievements. They will ensure the achievement of
the BRC goals and its contributions to the overall success of the WF OAIC.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10909355
- **Project number:** 5P30AG021332-22
- **Recipient organization:** WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** LEON LENCHIK
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $151,379
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2002-09-30 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10909355

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10909355, Bioimaging Resource Core (5P30AG021332-22). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10909355. Licensed CC0.

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