The proposal was submitted to the 2021 round of the AMS-VUmc investment call, for the purchase of a Double-tuned 31P/1H receive coil for a 3 Tesla MR system and has been approved for the requested amount of €32.000. The equipment will facilitate the implementation of a non-invasive MR platform to perform both basic scientific and patient-related research on skeletal muscle oxidative capacity during functionally relevant exercise. The simultaneous measurements are highly innovative, and key to provide insights into the kinetic relation between mitochondrial and capillary function on a muscle level, addressing an unmet need in the international muscle imaging field. The acquisition of this state-of-the-art MR equipment will initiate many new interdisciplinary collaborations and grant applications, as loss of skeletal muscle function and fatigue are not only a concern in ageing, but in many other poorly understood neuromuscular (e.g. Parkinson Disease, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis) and metabolic (i.e. Diabetes Type I) disorders.
June 4, 2021