Towards sustainability of the Centre for Advanced Medical Imaging

Lead Researcher:

Prof James Meaney

Award Date:

1 January 2013

Host Institution:

St James's Hospital

Scheme:

Imaging Award

Summary:

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has emerged as a critical tool in clinical practice and clinical research. Our aim is to establish a national Centre for Advanced Medical Imaging (NCAM). The HRB CAMI award provides for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner on the campus of St James’s Hospital and associated personnel. CAMI is one of only two 3 Tesla (3T) whole body MRI scanners dedicated for research in Ireland, the other is housed within the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience (TCIN). TCIN can only accommodate healthy volunteers, whereas the hospital location of CAMI allows use for patients (including critically ill ICU patients). CAMI collaborates closely with researchers at TCIN. The clinical and patient-oriented nature of the award aligns with the HRB strategy goal of driving the development of excellent clinical research within a coherent health research system. The opening of CAMI at St James’s Hospital has made available a hospital-based, state of the art human MRI system dedicated to research. CAMI’s mission is to carry out clinically relevant peer reviewed research, and serve as a national MRI resource for researchers. It aims to build capacity in medical imaging research, to act as a resource for clinical trials, and to build partnerships with industry and other collaborators in the development of MRI imaging techniques and technology. Since opening for business in October 2008, the Centre has conducted research in its proposed three thematic areas: oncological, cardiovascular and neuro-psychiatric imaging. They have built successful collaborations with research groups with all the major institutions and hospitals across Dublin, including Beaumont Hospital, St. Vincent’s, St. Luke’s, UCD, DCU, RSCI, are currently working on a study with NUI Galway and are looking to establish formal collaborations with PIs in Galway and Cork through working with the HRB-CRF Galway and HRB-CRF Cork.