Description du projet
Fusionner la métabolomique et l’imagerie par résonance magnétique pour étudier la biologie humaine à l’échelle du corps entier
Le projet NICI, financé par l’UE, introduira une approche innovante pour étudier la biologie humaine en utilisant l’imagerie chimique non invasive (NICI pour «non-invasive chemistry imaging»). Le développement de l’imagerie par résonance magnétique (IRM) pour détecter des biomarqueurs métaboliques récemment découverts permettra la cartographie dynamique des processus biochimiques à l’échelle du corps entier. Le projet développera une nouvelle méthodologie utilisant des organoïdes 3D en coculture comme modèles d’organes humains. Il développera une plateforme intégrant des scanners IRM 7T et des approches d’acquisition de données associées pour créer un système d’imagerie biochimique 3D. L’approche d’imagerie chimique 3D dynamique et sa valeur prédictive et pronostique seront validées dans le cadre de la stratégie de stratification des patients présentant des métastases hépatiques d’un cancer gastro-intestinal.
Objectif
The NICI project’s ambition is to lay the foundations of a new area of research: the study of human biology using non-invasive chemistry imaging. For this, NICI aims to unite two areas of research: metabolomics and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Metabolomics studies body functions through the measurement of metabolites; MRI, is able to provide 3D images of the body. By advancing MRI so that it can detect metabolic biomarkers and by discovering powerful new MRI-visible biomarkers, a non-invasive technology can be developed for dynamically mapping biochemical processes in the whole human body.
Vision: This new non-invasive technology for imaging biochemical processes in the human body will open a new and effective window for understanding human biology, diseases and their treatment.
Breakthroughs: I. Methodology for the discovery of discriminative biomarkers and II. Technological platform for full body biochemical imaging.
Novelty: Enabling a paradigm shift from morphologic imaging to biochemical understanding.
Foundational: Establishing the basis for a new research area, the study of human biochemistry using non-invasive biochemical imaging.
High-risk: i) The exact mechanisms of diseases are largely unknown and ii) Measuring specific metabolites is challenging.
Interdisciplinary: Bringing together physicists, biologists, chemists and clinicians.
The NICI project will develop a new methodology for the in vitro discovery of discriminant biomarkers using co-cultured 3D organoids as models for human organs. In addition, the project will develop a measurement platform, integrated with 7T MRI scanners and associated data acquisition approaches to adapt these MRI scanners into 3D biochemical imaging systems. NICI will validate the dynamic 3D chemical imaging approach and its predictive and prognostic value by researching a stratification strategy for patients with liver metastasis of gastrointestinal cancer. (This is one out of many possible applications.)
Champ scientifique
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineinternal medicine
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncology
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinepaediatrics
- engineering and technologymedical engineeringdiagnostic imagingmagnetic resonance imaging
- engineering and technologyother engineering and technologiesmicrotechnologymolecular engineering
Programme(s)
Régime de financement
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinateur
3584 CX Utrecht
Pays-Bas