Human Magnetic Resonance Center

Human Magnetic Resonance Center

On the second floor of the Life Science Laboratories (LSL) is a remarkably powerful magnet.

The Human Magnetic Resonance Center (hMRC) core facility is the only dedicated research 3T MRI in western Massachusetts. It enables UMass Amherst researchers in a range of disciplines—such as kinesiology, communication disorders, psychology and brain sciences, and biomedical engineering— to investigate questions related to changes in the brain and body, and function across the lifespan. It also supports research from outside organizations, including Baystate Medical Center.

According to Rajakumar Nagarajan, MRI physicist at hMRC, most MRI facilities are tied to medical schools and support both clinical and research uses.

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Human Magnetic Resonance Center
Rajakumar Nagarajan, MRI physicist, and Elena Bliss, MRI technologist, at the Human Magnetic Resonance Center.

“As a dedicated basic and translational research MRI, our Siemens 3T Skyra scanner provides state-of-the-art, non-invasive structural neuroimaging and functional imaging, whole body imaging, and more," he explained.

Prior to the establishment of the core facility, UMass researchers had to travel great distances to other facilities to use MRIs in collaboration with investigators at other institutions. The hMRC not only serves these established MRI researchers, but has opened the door for many others throughout the research community to incorporate MRI into their research studies. This serves to deepen understanding of their research questions and offers greater opportunities to get grant funding.

Nagarajan has a PhD in physics and a background in MRI and spectroscopy. He worked at UCLA for many years supporting research in the areas of prostate and brain cancer, HIV, Hepatitis C, sleep apnea, and obesity, in collaboration with clinicians. He provides technical assistance with the MRI and trains researchers to do post-processing and to interpret the MRI and spectroscopic data. He has also taught a graduate course at UMass on the fundamentals of MRI and spectroscopy, in which students learn skills such as how to run a scan, do post-processing, and interpret data. Additionally, Nagarajan has presented research completed within the hMRC on the international stage at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) annual meeting.

Elena Bliss, an MRI technologist at the center, is licensed in performing MRI exams. She worked in clinical settings for several years prior to entering into research. Having a clinical, rather than an academic, background brings a different set of skills that helps enhance center safety and subject care. She runs the MRI safety training program within the facility, along with scanning and aiding in implementing study designs, ensuring proper screening and safety policies and procedures are carried out.

“Each research group we collaborate with is unique,” she said. “It's amazing to have a facility on campus that can enhance the excellence of new and ongoing research by incorporating MRI and associated technologies, while adapting to the diverse labs here."