The focus of our group is to make the hidden powers of magnetic resonance accessible for medical diagnostics and to unlock new areas of application. It is our goal to enable new diagnostic parameters that provide insight into metabolism, physiology and function. We pursue this goal by developing new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) sequences, new hardware, and new methods for the hyperpolarization of nuclear spins.
Hyperpolarization is an emerging method to dramatically increase the power of magnetic resonance. Despite the fact that MRI is very successful, it is very insensitive as well. In fact, all modern MRI scanners use only a few parts per million of the signal that is theoretically available. Hyperpolarization makes the rest of this signal available by increasing the inherently low nuclear polarization, resulting in MR signal enhancements of over 100.000 fold, paving the way for entirely new applications of MRI.
Bridging the gap between spin physics and medical diagnostics, hyperpolarization is a truly interdisciplinary research area with all the benefits and pitfalls which come along. The hyperpolarization group in Freiburg is focused on the development of new hyperpolarization methods and bringing these advances to biomedical application.