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MONITORING OF BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER (BBB) OPENING IN ALZHEIMER MICE
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) restricts drug delivery to the brain, complicating the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Temporary and safe opening of the BBB is a critical step for improving therapeutic delivery. This project focuses on developing hardware for BBB opening under optoacoustic imaging guidance, along with algorithms for monitoring using optoacoustic and magnetic resonance imaging. Key tasks include designing a focused ultrasound transducer, developing a precise positioning system for mouse brain navigation, characterizing the setup through phantom experiments, optimizing imaging reconstruction algorithms, and participating in preclinical studies with healthy and diseased mice.
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) limits the ability of many medications to reach the brain, posing a significant challenge in effectively treating Alzheimer's disease. Temporary opening of the BBB is crucial for improving drug delivery to the brain, and techniques such as focused ultrasound combined with microbubbles have shown promise in safely enhancing the permeability of the BBB for Alzheimer's treatments. The aim of this project is to develop hardware for opening the BBB under optoacoustic imaging guidance, along with algorithms for effective monitoring using both optoacoustic and magnetic resonance imaging. Tasks include but are not limited to:
- Design of a focused ultrasound transducer with optimal frequency and power to focus sufficient acoustic energy in the target region of the brain.
- Development of a positioning system enabling navigation across the mouse brain to reach the target region.
- Characterization of the set-up with phantom experiments.
- Optimization of reconstruction algorithms to achieve optimal imaging feedback.
- Participation in experiments with healthy and disease mice (under close supervision).
What we offer
- Working in a multidisciplinary environment and the possibility to interact with researchers with biological and technical backgrounds.
- Learning new imaging techniques growingly being used in biomedical research and also translated into the clinics.
- Possibility to publish in peer-reviewed journals.
What we expect
- Strong motivation.
- Commitment to the project.
- Programming skills (preferably in MATLAB).
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) limits the ability of many medications to reach the brain, posing a significant challenge in effectively treating Alzheimer's disease. Temporary opening of the BBB is crucial for improving drug delivery to the brain, and techniques such as focused ultrasound combined with microbubbles have shown promise in safely enhancing the permeability of the BBB for Alzheimer's treatments. The aim of this project is to develop hardware for opening the BBB under optoacoustic imaging guidance, along with algorithms for effective monitoring using both optoacoustic and magnetic resonance imaging. Tasks include but are not limited to:
- Design of a focused ultrasound transducer with optimal frequency and power to focus sufficient acoustic energy in the target region of the brain. - Development of a positioning system enabling navigation across the mouse brain to reach the target region. - Characterization of the set-up with phantom experiments. - Optimization of reconstruction algorithms to achieve optimal imaging feedback. - Participation in experiments with healthy and disease mice (under close supervision).
What we offer - Working in a multidisciplinary environment and the possibility to interact with researchers with biological and technical backgrounds. - Learning new imaging techniques growingly being used in biomedical research and also translated into the clinics. - Possibility to publish in peer-reviewed journals.
What we expect - Strong motivation. - Commitment to the project. - Programming skills (preferably in MATLAB).
This project aims to create innovative hardware for the targeted and controlled opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), guided by optoacoustic imaging for enhanced precision and real-time monitoring. Furthermore, it will develop advanced algorithms to leverage the combined capabilities of optoacoustic and magnetic resonance imaging, ensuring thorough monitoring, safety, and efficacy throughout the BBB opening process.
This project aims to create innovative hardware for the targeted and controlled opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), guided by optoacoustic imaging for enhanced precision and real-time monitoring. Furthermore, it will develop advanced algorithms to leverage the combined capabilities of optoacoustic and magnetic resonance imaging, ensuring thorough monitoring, safety, and efficacy throughout the BBB opening process.
Please send a brief introduction, CV and transcripts of records from your current studies to X. Luis Dean-Ben: xl.deanben@pharma.uzh.ch; xdeanben@ethz.ch
Please send a brief introduction, CV and transcripts of records from your current studies to X. Luis Dean-Ben: xl.deanben@pharma.uzh.ch; xdeanben@ethz.ch
BBB_AD.pdf
