ISI Core Facility Magnetic Resonance (ISI-MR)

The Magnetic Resonance Core Facility of the Institute of Scientific Instruments provides access to advanced MR imaging and spectroscopic techniques to in-house and external researchers and developers. In addition to a multinuclear MR scanner with a high magnetic field of 9.4 tesla (Bruker Biospec 94/30), equipped primarily for preclinical studies involving small laboratory animals (mice, rats and possibly rabbits), the laboratory also offers a combination of MR with the application of focused ultrasound, advanced MR data processing and services necessary for performing animal experiments. Thanks to its participation in the Czech-BioImaging research infrastructure, the laboratory can offer the general scientific community affordable open access to these techniques, usually in the form of a comprehensive service supported by experienced laboratory staff and by the related research team of the institute.

The research areas benefiting most from this service are physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, neurology and oncology, and development of targeted drugs.

The activities and development of the laboratory are supported by the work of the Magnetic Resonance Research Group, whose main areas of interest are quantitative measurement of perfusion, diffusion and relaxation, and MR spectroscopy; the laboratory focuses on the support of innovative biomedical research projects with comprehensive use of these types of methods.

The equipment and work of the laboratory are financially supported by the parent institute, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, research grants, and user fees; the facility has the legally required permits for working with laboratory animals, including the first category of genetically modified organisms. The requirements of all the named parties are respected both organizationally and technically. The laboratory is part of the national infrastructure Czech-BioImaging and the European infrastructure Euro-BioImaging; researchers interested in using the services of the laboratory can use the standard access channels of these infrastructures or contact the laboratory directly (see Open Access Options).