We are seeking a graduate student or a postdoctoral fellow to join a multidisciplinary research team investigating the interrelationship between cerebrovascular disease, cerebral energy metabolism, and cognitive function. This project will use magnetic resonance imaging MRI perfusion methods, arterial spin labelling and dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC), to image cerebral capillary function, while concurrently imaging oxygen metabolism by PET. For the latter, our team has developed a non-invasive PET/MR method that retains PET’s ability to directly measure cerebral oxygen extraction, while incorporating MRI methods to reduce the complexity and duration of PET imaging.
Using these technologies, our goal is to investigate the impact of capillaries dysfunction on cerebral oxygen consumption at rest and when performing a cognitively demanding task. The project will provide the applicant with access to state-of-the-art research facilities that include a hybrid 3T PET/MRI scanner (Siemens Biograph mMR system) and a GE PETtrace 880 cyclotron capable of generating 15O tracers.
