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Biography
My research is interdisciplinary and translational, combining magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and spectroscopy methods, immunohistochemistry and molecular biology. During my work at Oxford, I used these approaches to investigate cellular metabolism, vascular function and inflammatory processes in animal models.
Expertise Summary
- Cell culture and experimental models of neurological disease in rodents (intracerebral, ultrasound-guided intracardiac, intraperitoneal and subcutaneous injections).
- Perfusion, fixation and extractions of cells/tissues for histology, ELISA and biochemical assays, respectively.
- Tissue sectioning and staining (immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence).
- Electrophysiology, EEG recording, laser speckle contrast imaging.
- Determination of structural and functional changes in vivo and ex vivo using MRI (T1 and T2, diffusion, magnetisation transfer and perfusion weighted MRI, functional and molecular MRI).
- Cellular metabolism measurement in vivo and ex vivo using MRS (1H, 13C and 31P).
- Image analysis, MRI/MRS data processing and metabolic modelling.
- Human physiological studies using clinical MR scanner and SpinLab hyperpolarizer.
Research Summary
In collaboration with the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, our group is currently involved in the development of a cutting-edge metabolic imaging method- called Dynamic Nuclear Polarisation 13C MR… read more
Current Research
In collaboration with the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, our group is currently involved in the development of a cutting-edge metabolic imaging method- called Dynamic Nuclear Polarisation 13C MR spectroscopy- to investigate metabolic changes associated with brain and musculoskeletal function in health and disease. This approach could revolutionise our understanding of age-related diseases and also provide platform for diagnosis and treatment of disease in the clinic.
Interests:
In brain research:
- How disease-related changes of perivascular cell metabolism (e.g. astrocyte, pericyte and smooth muscle cell) could alter vascular function, and thus normal functioning of the brain.
- How real-time monitoring of metabolic changes could help to optimise and/or develop novel treatment strategies that aim to improve vascular function (e.g. metabolic drug, diet or exercise).
In musculoskeletal research:
- How alteration of cellular energy regeneration during exercise could affect muscular pain and fatigue, and thus quality of life.
- How real-time metabolic monitoring could help to develop and/or guide therapies targeting the effect of peripheral vascular disease on musculoskeletal function.