November 6, 2023 Research summary: New nanofabrication techniques confirm old MRI theory Written By: Staff Departments: Biomedical Engineering Categories: Graduate|Research Neuroengineering researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have conducted first-of-their-kind experiments using nanofabricated particles in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Led by PhD student Ilhan Bok and Assistant Professor Aviad Hai, the team explored the effects of particle clustering, size, and geometry on MRI signaling. We prepared this summary with an assist from ChatGPT. Read the full news story for more details. Key points: The challenge: Bok and Hai repurposed nanopatterning techniques to study particle clustering in MRI, aiming to validate computational theories dating back to the 1990s. Unique approach: Using innovative nanolithography methods, Bok created arrays of iron oxide nanoparticles with diverse geometries, confirming a nonlinear relationship between nanoparticle aggregation size and MRI signal strength. Significance for MRI technology: Their findings are useful for the field, because nanoparticles are commonly used as contrast agents in MRI. Understanding how particle size and arrangement impact MRI signals opens avenues for developing new sensors and enhancing imaging techniques. Important publication: The team’s results were published in the journal Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, which recognized it as a rapid communication, indicating the study’s significance in advancing MRI science. Open access for future research: To encourage further exploration, the researchers have made their experimental code accessible online. This move enables other labs to reproduce the results and utilize the data for designing innovative MRI sensors.