Currently, there is no single imaging modality that meets the requirements of stem cell therapy. However, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has enormous potential in this regard. Additionally, other imaging methods, especially optical imaging, will be considered in the course of the project.
Within the framework of the project, new MRI imaging methods and biomarkers will be developed and tested in order to get a more comprehensive picture of the cell fate and the reaction of the immune system. Eventually, these are planned to be applied in the treatment of cancer, cardio-vascular diseases and diabetes.
The project is supported by a financial contribution of 11 m within the European Commission's 7th Framework Programme. EIBIR was founded in January 2006 and is a non-profit, limited liability company with more than 200 member institutions from 27 countries
As the project develops, further highly qualified partners will be needed to contribute either research or dissemination and training activities for the newly developed methods. In order to find these partners, a Competitive Call will be launched in the project ENCITE in autumn 2008.
For further information, please visit:
http://www.eibir.org/
About The European Institute for Biomedical Imaging Research (EIBIR)
The European Institute for Biomedical Imaging Research (EIBIR) promotes networking activities within Europe and ensures the pooling of resources among members to promote a culture of cooperation between them. This will generate critical mass and help coordinate research into new instrumentation, new methods, concepts and technologies.