# Quantitative Characterization of the Extra Cellular Matrix Components of Connective Tissue: Fingerprinting Macromolecular Components through Low-Field Magnetic Resonance

> **NIH NIH R00** · TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA · 2024 · $248,972

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Fibrotic activity, the accumulation of macromolecules, alters the composition and microstructural organization
musculoskeletal connective tissue. The ability to non-invasively quantify and characterize the significant
extracellular matrix components such as proteoglycan content and collagen fibrils organization is important
clinically since fibrosis is a common inflammatory response that plays a role in many pathologies. Recent
advances in instrumentation for low field magnetic resonance (MR) has enabled its adoption in the field of
macromolecular characterization, porous media, and recently biological tissues. LF MR is advantageous as an
affordable non-cryogen alternative to high-field MR imaging with a greater detectable dynamic range of
quantitative MR parameters. This adaptation for this imaging modality is limited by the lack of appropriate
phantoms of connective tissue and the identification of biomarkers for healthy and diseased tissue. Composite
gels that replicate the salient structural and compositional features of connective tissue will be developed and
used to optimize low field MR methods and identify LF biomarkers. These methods will be applied to articular
cartilage and lumbodorsal fascia connective tissues. The project is anticipated to have a significant positive
impact on the clinical capability and utility of LF MR as an affordable point of care diagnostic application.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11074908
- **Project number:** 4R00GM140338-02
- **Recipient organization:** TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
- **Principal Investigator:** Velencia Witherspoon
- **Activity code:** R00 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $248,972
- **Award type:** 4N
- **Project period:** 2020-10-01 → 2028-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11074908

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11074908, Quantitative Characterization of the Extra Cellular Matrix Components of Connective Tissue: Fingerprinting Macromolecular Components through Low-Field Magnetic Resonance (4R00GM140338-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11074908. Licensed CC0.

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