Drs. Lawrence Kegeles and Christoph Juchem receive a $150,000 award from Columbia's Collaboratory Fellows Fund to develop a new course In Vivo Magnetic Spectroscopy - from Data to Clinical Benefit.
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) allows the detection and quantification of chemical compounds from localized regions in living tissue, e.g., the brain, in a noninvasive fashion. It thereby provides a powerful tool to assess key aspects of brain metabolism and function. The repertoire of measurable compounds along with the quantitative character of the derived information makes MRS a versatile tool for the identification of clinical conditions, for longitudinal patient monitoring and for treatment control and monitoring of virtually all disorders with a metabolic signature.
While in vivo MRS is arguably a key method in biomedical research and clinical diagnostics, Columbia University currently does not offer a course on the topic.
The aim in this proposal is to establish an educational course that comprises all aspects of in vivo MRS from theory to experiment, from data acquisition to the derivation of metabolic signatures, and from study design to clinical interpretation. Anyone interested in gaining an understanding of MRS techniques, their potential and the limitations of their application in vivo will find this course useful. This course will stand out by bridging the gap between theoretical concepts, hands-on training in MRS data literacy and direct experimental experience on a human 3T MR scanner. The goal is to provide the beginner in MRS with this 16-session combined academic course and “boot-camp” the requisite theoretical knowledge and practical know-how for further in-depth training and future engagement in the numerous important and exciting applications of in vivo MRS in research and diagnostics in both academia and industry
Jointly founded by Columbia University’s Data Science Institute and Columbia Entrepreneurship, the Collaboratory@Columbia is a university-wide program dedicated to supporting collaborative curricula innovations designed to ensure that all Columbia University students receive the education and training that they need to succeed in today’s data-rich world.
