Research Overview
Basic Sciences Research
Research in the Imaging sciences is represented by the Biomedical Imaging Research Centre (BIRC). https://westernubirc.uwo.ca. The vision of BIRC is to “support and connect London’s biomedical imaging communities to one another and the world, to achieve global health impact together.” This Centre is the virtual space in which clinical and basic science Imaging researchers are brought together to learn, collaborate and innovate.
Our Imaging faculty members work largely within the Imaging research programs at the Robarts Research Institute, based at Western, and the Lawson Health Research Institute, based at the London hospitals. They are also affiliated with the School of Biomedical Engineering (BME), the Brain & Mind Institute, and the Bone & Joint Institute at Western. The organization of the various Imaging groups in London is represented in the schematic below:
Our faculty members are internationally recognized for their research programs in the development and application of advanced imaging technologies to study human health and disease. Their expertise ranges from designing genetically engineered models and bioengineered contrast agents for molecular imaging, to implementing machine learning and artificial intelligence in high-throughput image analysis, and to translational imaging research in cognition and neurological disorders, cardiac and vascular diseases, musculoskeletal disease, pulmonary disease, and cancer.
This high level of research excellence is supported by cutting edge city-wide Imaging infrastructure. Examples are: Canada’s highest-field human MRI scanner at the Robarts Research Institute; Canada’s first PET/MRI hybrid imaging system at the Lawson Health Research Institute; state-of-the-art vascular imaging systems at Robarts and Lawson; and the preclinical ImPaKt Facility at Western housing a small animal 3T PET/MRI; and Canada’s first magnetic particle imaging scanner at Robarts. There are also suites of CT and MR scanners installed in the London hospitals and at Western specifically for translational and clinical Imaging research. A full list of Imaging infrastructure is listed here.
Imaging researchers in London are alays seeking out potential clinical collaborators, and the Strategic Plan of BIRC places priority in collaborative research partnerships.
