Our Center

CMRR was established in 1991 as a result of the rapidly growing and successful in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) research effort at the University of Minnesota.

CMRR is an interdepartmental and interdisciplinary research laboratory that provides state-of-the-art instrumentation, expertise, and infrastructure to carry out biomedical research utilizing the unique capabilities provided by high field MRI and MRS methodology. The central aim of the research conducted in CMRR is to non-invasively obtain functional, physiological, and biochemical information in intact biological systems, and use this capability to probe biological processes in health and disease.

Funded by NCRR/NIH as a Biotechnology Research Resource for High field Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy, and supported by numerous governmental and private foundations, CMRR core faculty have made significant and pioneering contributions in biological applications of magnetic resonance techniques, and possess unique expertise in very high field uses of this methodology.

CMRR Faculty conducts research in a variety of areas including:

• High field functional brain mapping in humans; methodological developments, mechanistic studies, and neuroscience applications
• Metabolism, bioenergetics, and perfusion studies of human pathological states (tumors, obesity, diabetes, hepatic encephalopathy, cystic fibrosis, and psychiatric disorders)
• Cardiac bioenergetics under normal and pathological conditions
• Automated magnetic field shimming methods that are critical for spectroscopy and ultrafast imaging at high magnetic fields
• Development of high field magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy techniques for anatomic, physiologic, metabolic, and functional studies in humans and animal models
• Radiofrequency (RF) pulse design based on adiabatic principles
• Development of magnetic resonance hardware for high fields (e.g. RF coils, pre-amplifiers, digital receivers, phased arrays, etc.)
• Development of software for data analysis and display for functional brain mapping.

The Center is housed in a freestanding ~34,000 square foot facility, and is currently equipped with six high field magnets with magnetic field strength of 3 Tesla and greater, with the most notable being a 9.4 Tesla/65cm .