Supplement to Cover Unforeseen Costs for KU ADC Neuroimaging Core

University Of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City KS

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract This Administrative Supplement requests one-year of funding to support unforeseen costs associated with the University of Kansas Alzheimer's Disease Center Neuroimaging Core. The Neuroimaging Core's overall mission is to support and stimulate brain aging and AD research by providing investigators with advanced neuroimaging support for all aspects of studies - from conceptualization, through implementation and obtaining the resources needed, to the final reporting. This mission is achieved through three Specific Aims: 1) to provide an integrated imaging environment, 2) to establish an imaging dataset linked to clinical data, and 3) to develop novel methods targeted to research in aging, AD, and neurodegeneration. The optional Neuroimaging Core is integral to the metabolism and energy aims of the KU ADC, which is exemplified by the extensive portfolio of 41 active and 14 pending grant applications that rely on Neuroimaging Core support. However, the P30 funds available to support these activities are inadequate to support the extensive needs of these projects. The requested funds will fund two initiatives: 1) expand infrastructure for our sharable dataset and more rapidly start new projects by increasing the effort of the Core Manager by 50% FTE, and 2) provide one year of funding for a magnetic resonance imaging physicist/programmer who will customize MRI acquisition sequences by implementing a novel acquisition approach developed by University of Kansas scientists affiliated with the Neuroimaging Core. This navigator-echo frequency correction approach will help reduce the amount of imaging data discarded because of excessive subject movement during scanning. These sequences will be used in several grant funded projects and also for acquiring our standard imaging dataset on our Clinical Cohort. These projects are feasible within the one-year timeframe of an Administrative Supplement. At the end of this time we will have substantially improved imaging infrastructure to support investigators in AD and aging as well as a series of imaging acquisition sequences that are optimized for use with elderly and cognitively-impaired participants. These sequences will add to our portfolio of sequences that will be shared with other sites within and beyond the NIA ADC network.