MRI: Acquisition of a high-resolution ultrasound imaging instrument for research and education

MRI：购买高分辨率超声成像仪器用于研究和教育

• 批准号: 1625704
• 负责人: Sanku Mallik
• 金额: $ 25.18万
• 依托单位: North Dakota State University Fargo
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-09-01 至 2019-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1625704&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; resolution; ultrasound; imaging

Detecting the reflection of sound to identify the shape and structure of an object led to the discovery of ultrasound imaging systems, frequently used for medical monitoring and diagnosis. However, the use of this transformative technology in materials and engineering remains less explored. The new ultrasound imaging system acquired through the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program will enable NDSU and UND researchers to investigate the cross-talk between sound and object which, in turn, can reveal novel phenomena and interactions between biological and non-biological materials within their environment. The approach will significantly expand the multidisciplinary research conducted by the current faculty members, graduate students, and postdoctoral trainees. Above and beyond the conventional diagnostic monitoring, this NSF-supported procurement of the imaging system will be used to discover the symbiosis of biomaterials with their encapsulating structure, interactions of cells with their biological niche, and for the development of 3D-printed scaffolds for cell culture. In addition, the high-resolution ultrasound imaging instrument will be used to explore the small changes in the shape and size of nano- and micromaterials in response to biological and physical stimuli. The instrument will be used as a training and teaching platform to existing and prospective users across NDSU and UND campuses. Furthermore, the imaging system will be an essential addition to the outreach infrastructures of these universities, and will contribute to the dissemination of STEM education among Native American students of the region and high school and K-12 students.The award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program provides support to North Dakota State University (NDSU) and the University of North Dakota (UND) to purchase a high-frequency, high-resolution, ultrasound imaging system for materials, macromolecular, and cell biology research and education. As a non-invasive modality to obtain high-resolution images of a variety of materials and microstructures, ultrasound outperforms Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) regarding cost, affordability, and safety. The proposed imaging system functions by calculating the difference of ultrasound impedance between the region of interest (e.g., polymer materials, cell spheroids, tumors, etc.) and the surrounding microenvironment (e.g., the scaffold for growing the cell spheroids, tissue matrix, tumor mass, etc.). The new instrument will strengthen synergy and initiate multidisciplinary collaborative research both at NDSU and UND in pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, and engineering. The initial users of 13 faculty members, 31 graduate, and 31 undergraduate students represent a diverse ensemble of researchers with the common interest of exploring the cross-cutting capability of ultrasound imaging in materials and biological systems. We are expecting an increased participation of other researchers through the utilization of cyberinfrastructure for instrument scheduling and data transfer. Aside from advancing fundamental knowledge and understanding, the project will serve as a robust teaching modality by incorporating the results obtained via the use of this instrument into three graduate and two undergraduate courses. In addition, the project will reinforce NDSU and UND's outreach efforts that include recruiting meritorious Native-American students from North Dakota reservations to the graduate and undergraduate programs, as well as training aspiring high school and K-12 students in STEM education.

检测声音的反射以识别物体的形状和结构，从而发现了超声成像系统，该系统经常用于医疗监测和诊断。但是，在材料和工程中使用这种变革性技术的探索仍然较少。通过主要研究仪器（MRI）程序获得的新的超声成像系统将使NDSU和UND研究人员能够调查声音和物体之间的串扰，而声音和物体之间的串扰又可以揭示其环境中生物学和非生物学材料之间的新现象以及生物学材料之间的相互作用。该方法将大大扩展由当前教职员工，研究生和博士后学员进行的多学科研究。除了传统的诊断监测之外，该NSF支持的成像系统的采购将用于发现生物材料的共生，其封装结构，细胞与其生物位的相互作用以及生物位的相互作用以及为细胞培养的3D打印的支架的开发。此外，高分辨率超声成像仪器将用于探索响应生物学和物理刺激的纳米和微材料的形状和大小的小变化。该乐器将用作NDSU和UND校园的现有和潜在用户的培训和教学平台。此外，成像系统将是这些大学的外展基础设施的重要补充，并将有助于该地区的美国原住民学生和高中和K-12学生在STEM教育中传播。材料，大分子和细胞生物学研究与教育。作为一种非侵入性方式，可以获得各种材料和微观结构的高分辨率图像，超声优于磁共振成像（MRI）和计算机断层扫描（CT），涉及成本，可负担性和安全性。提出的成像系统通过计算感兴趣区域（例如聚合物材料，细胞球体，肿瘤等）和周围的微环境（例如，生长细胞球体，组织球形，组织基质，肿瘤质量等）的超声阻抗差来发挥作用。该新仪器将加强NDSU和UND在制药，化学和工程学的NDSU和UND的多学科合作研究。 13名教职员工，31名毕业生和31名本科生的最初用户代表了各种各样的研究人员，他们的共同兴趣是探索材料和生物系统中超声成像的交叉切割能力。我们预计，通过利用网络基础结构来进行仪器调度和数据传输，其他研究人员的参与会增加。除了促进基本知识和理解之外，该项目还将通过将该工具的使用纳入三个毕业生和两个本科课程，作为强大的教学方式。此外，该项目将加强NDSU和UND的外展工作，其中包括招募从北达科他州预订的有功的美国本地裔学生到研究生和本科课程，以及培训有抱负的高中和K-12学生的STEM教育。