The research and teaching program of the BioMedical NMR group (Department of Biomedical Engineering) is aimed at the development and use of in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) techniques. MRI and MRS offer exciting possibilities for the investigation of a range of structural, functional and metabolic parameters in living systems. MRI and MRS are non-invasive and therefore ideally suited for repeated studies, in which changes in tissues are followed over time. This non-invasiveness and the richness of the information that is obtained explain the important role of MR in biological and biomedical research. Not surprisingly, MR has also rapidly gained an important position in human healthcare since its first arrival in medical centers in the late 1980’s.

The BioMedical NMR group (Department of Biomedical Engineering) is located in the N-laag building at the campus of Eindhoven University of Technology. The group has horizontal bore MR instruments for in vivo studies on live laboratory animals (field strengths of 6.3 and 9.4 Tesla), a 1.5 Tesla whole-body scanner for human MR research, and 0.47 and 1.41 Tesla MR instruments for contrast agent research. A well-equipped chemical laboratory is available for the preparation and characterization of MRI contrast agents. Excellent facilities for housing of and research on laboratory animals have been constructed. Instrumentation for biochemical and microscopic studies of excised tissues is available. State-of-the-art computer facilities for advanced data processing, evaluation and visualization are present. The group has access to excellent facilities for studies on cultures of mammalian cells.