Transportable Hyperpolarized Metabolites for Magnetic Resonance Imaging via Photo Induced Dynamic Nuclear Polarization

Arthur César Pinon

Research focus 
The project focuses on overcoming a significant challenge of hyperpolarization through Photo Induced DNP. Through its signal enhancement allowing a realtime and non-invasive window into the processes of living cells, Hyperpolarized MR has the potential to fundamentally change the way we examine the human body and how we approach diagnoses and drug discovery. But the techniques to produce hyperpolarized metabolites today are limited by the fast decay of the hyperpolarized signal and the long time required to reach hyperpolarization. 

The project will combine a novel technique, Low Field Thermal Mixing, with Photo Induced DNP. The aim is to hyperpolarize metabolites in a few minutes and produce hyperpolarized samples with decay times of over several hours. This will allow fast polarization, as well as transport of the samples such that the detection of the hyperpolarized sample can occur in a different location from the polarizing apparatus. This will have a tremendous impact on hyperpolarized MRI: a single polarizer could serve many MRI facilities.  

Scientific output
Find Arthur's publications at DTU's online research database ORBIT.

Funding
The project is funded by H. C. Ørsted COFUND, a joint program between Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (Horizon 2020) and DTU (grant agreement no. XXXXXX (COFUNDfellowsDTU). The project is part of the HYPERMAG Center of Excellence funded by Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF124). 

Project Period
September 2018 - August 2020