WIP & Ethics Refresher

Multi-Modal MRI Techniques for Imaging Neuroinflammation using Rodent Models

Presented by Ronan McNeill

Abstract: Neuroinflammation is a major driver of many brain disorders, yet we currently lack accessible tools to measure it reliably in the living human brain. This project aims to develop a multi-modal MRI fingerprint of glia that captures the microstructural and biochemical signatures of neuroinflammation. We will combine in-vivo MRI, postmortem MRI, and multi-stain histology in a rodent model of acute neuroinflammation induced by intracerebral lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. Our MRI protocol includes diffusion, T2, T2*, and quantitative susceptibility mapping, each of which has previously shown sensitivity to glial activation. By leveraging their complementary sensitivities to distinct aspects of glial response, we propose that the combined signal patterns will provide improved specificity for neuroinflammation.

Each animal will act as its own pre-intervention control, and postmortem MRI will be directly compared with histological markers of microglia (IBA1, CD68), astrocytes (GFAP), myelin (PLP), neurofilaments (SMI312), and cell bodies (H&E) to define a robust multi-modal signature of neuroinflammation. Once validated, this MRI fingerprint will serve as a translational biomarker, enabling the detection and mapping of neuroinflammatory signals in existing in vivo human MRI datasets.

Ethics Refresher 

Presented by Mel Fleming

Mel will be providing a refresher on University ethics (CUREC) and hints/tips for a smoother Worktribe process.