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Research

UI Department of Radiology Research

The Department of Radiology’s research focus spans numerous disciplines and interacts frequently with the entire Carver College of Medicine in a multi-disciplinary and collaborative manner. On an annual basis, the department averages over $4 million per year in funding from NIH, other federal agencies, and private sponsors. Funding support includes basic and advanced research, clinical trial and translational projects, and for purchase of cutting edge imaging equipment. The major, funded research labs in Radiology include:

  • Advanced Pulmonary Physiomic Imaging Laboratory (APPIL): Led by Eric Hoffman, PhD, seeks to broaden the understanding of basic physiology and pathophysiology of the lung along with pulmonary disease co-morbidities using quantitative imaging.
  • Functional Pulmonary MRI Laboratory: Led by Sean Fain, PhD
  • Magnetic Resonance Research Facility (MRRF): Led by Vince Magnotta, PhD, provides research dedicated 3.0T and 7.0T MR imaging equipment and expertise for over 60 research projects spanning over a dozen departments and across five UI colleges. 
  • Medical Image Perception Laboratory (MIPL): Led by Claudia Mello-Thoms, PhD, investigates the human component of image interpretation to reduce diagnostic error in Radiology, done so by improving imaging technology so that reads are able to be better identified, as well as studying the perceptual and intellectual aspects of how physicians interpret images.
  • Microstructure Imaging Lab (MIL): Led by Merry Mani, PhD, focuses on developing advanced MRI techniques to study neurological disorders by creating novel pulse sequences and reconstruction methods for efficient MR acquisition.
  • Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Laboratory: Led by John Sunderland, PhD, focuses on the use of PET imaging for both animal and human studies. Including the use of novel radiotracers in imaging, the modality allows for detection of various cancer and brain-focused diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease.
  • Radiology Core Lab (RCL): Led by Jessica Sieren, PhD, provides a comprehensive set of quantitative imaging services for oncologic clinical trials, radiologic expertise for image-based protocols and analysis design and precise tumor measurements.
  • Small Animal Imaging Core (SAIC): Led by Thad Wadas, PhD, specializes in the use of a variety of imaging modalities to understand how disease impacts animals ranging from small animals including mice and rats, to larger animals such as ferrets and pigs.
  • The Wadas Laboratory: Led by Thad Wadas, PhD, combines novel ligand discovery techniques with innovative radiochemistry strategies to develop radiopharmaceutical solutions that can be implemented to detect and treat a variety of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease.

Radiology Residency Research Director

Section Research Liaisons