Advanced Magnetic Resonance Center

The Advanced Magnetic Resonance Center is shared by researchers at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) primarily as well as other researchers in Oklahoma. Our biomedical research interests include, but are not limited to, cancer biology, neurological disorders and cardiovascular pathologies.

Our research target themes are addressed with techniques such as basic morphological MRI (e.g. T1, T2 imaging), dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE) to establish location and extent of pathological lesions, MR angiography (MRA) to visualize vascularization, functional MRI (fMRI) to monitor tissue/organ response given a challenge function, and MR spectroscopy (MRS) to follow metabolic changes during a disease processes.

A particular strength of the facility is recent developments in the use of molecular targeting agents, which couple a MRI contrast agent (such as gadolinium complexes or ferromagnetic particles) with antibodies specific for cellular receptors or other antigens. This form of contrast enhanced imaging, allows in vivo visualization of molecular events. Many of the studies utilize transgenic murine models. The use of transgenic mice has dramatically advanced our ability to analyze and understand the molecular basis of various diseases. However, we are not limited to mice. Subjects up to approximately 20 cm in axial diameter may be imaged.

The Oklahoma INBRE, OMRF COBRE, and OCAST (Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology) funding provides the facility with infrastructure funds for investigators to obtain in vivo non-invasive functional, morphological and molecular information on various disease models focusing on neurological diseases and cancer detection and therapeutic agent assessments, and cardiovascular disease.

2020

Hudson LT, Jett SV, Kramer KE, Laurence DW, Ross CJ, Towner RA, Baumwart R, Lim KM, Mir A, Burkhart HM, Wu Y, Lee CH. A Pilot Study on Linking Tissue Mechanics with Load-Dependent Collagen Microstructures in Porcine Tricuspid Valve Leaflets. Bioengineering (Basel) 7, 2020 June, PMID: 32570939, PMCID: PMC7356733

Zalles M, Smith N, Saunders D, Saran T, Thomas L, Gulej R, Lerner M, Fung KM, Chung J, Hwang K, Jin J, Battiste J, Towner RA. Assessment of an scFv Antibody Fragment Against ELTD1 in a G55 Glioblastoma Xenograft Model. Transl Oncol 13:100737, 2020 March, PMID: 32208341, PMCID: PMC7090355

Piekarz KM, Bhaskaran S, Sataranatarajan K, Street K, Premkumar P, Saunders D, Zalles M, Gulej R, Khademi S, Laurin J, Peelor R, Miller BF, Towner R, Van Remmen H. Molecular changes associated with spinal cord aging. Geroscience, 2020 March, PMID: 32144690, PMCID: PMC7205981

Towner RA, Smith N, Saunders D, Lerner M, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B, Hurst RE. Assessing bladder hyper-permeability biomarkers in vivo using molecularly-targeted MRI. Am J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 10:57-65, 2020 February, PMID: 32211219, PMCID: PMC7076299

2019

Zalles M, Smith N, Ziegler J, Saunders D, Remerowski S, Thomas L, Gulej R, Mamedova N, Lerner M, Fung KM, Chung J, Hwang K, Jin J, Wiley G, Brown C, Battiste J, Wren JD, Towner RA. Optimized monoclonal antibody treatment against ELTD1 for GBM in a G55 xenograft mouse model. J Cell Mol Med, 2019 December, PMID: 31863639, PMCID: PMC6991683

Wang L, Wang M, Zhou B, Zhou F, Murray C, Towner RA, Smith N, Saunders D, Xie G, Chen WR. PEGylated reduced-graphene oxide hybridized with Fe3O4 nanoparticles for cancer photothermal-immunotherapy. J Mater Chem B, 2019 November, PMID: 31710067, PMCID: PMC7003986

Damme NM, Fernandez DP, Wang LM, Wu Q, Kirk RA, Towner RA, McNally JS, Hoffman JM, Morton KA. Analysis of retention of gadolinium by brain, bone, and blood following linear gadolinium-based contrast agent administration in rats with experimental sepsis. Magn Reson Med, 2019 November, PMID: 31677194

Smith N, Saunders D, Jensen RL, Towner RA. Association of decreased levels of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein with OKN-007-induced regression of tumor growth in an F98 rat glioma model. J Neurosurg:1-9, 2019 October, PMID: 31628293

Piao D, Towner RA, Smith N, Chen WR. Erratum: Magneto-thermo-acoustics from magnetic nanoparticles by short bursting or frequency chirped alternating magnetic field: a theoretical feasibility analysis. Med. Phys. 40(6): p. 063301 (2013). Med Phys 46:4710, 2019 October, PMID: 31625629, PMCID: PMC6961785

Jog NR, McClain MT, Heinlen LD, Gross T, Towner R, Guthridge JM, Axtell RC, Pardo G, Harley JB, James JA. Epstein Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1) peptides recognized by adult multiple sclerosis patient sera induce neurologic symptoms in a murine model. J Autoimmun:102332, 2019 September, PMID: 31515129, PMCID: PMC6930324

Towner RA, Saunders D, Smith N, Gulej R, McKenzie T, Lawrence B, Morton KA. Anti-inflammatory agent, OKN-007, reverses long-term neuroinflammatory responses in a rat encephalopathy model as assessed by multi-parametric MRI: implications for aging-associated neuroinflammation. Geroscience, 2019 September, PMID: 31478121, PMCID: PMC6815317

Kirk RA, Kesner RP, Wang LM, Wu Q, Towner RA, Hoffman JM, Morton KA. Lipopolysaccharide exposure in a rat sepsis model results in hippocampal amyloid-β plaque and phosphorylated tau deposition and corresponding behavioral deficits. Geroscience, 2019 August, PMID: 31473912, PMCID: PMC6815307

Ahn B, Smith N, Saunders D, Ranjit R, Kneis P, Towner RA, Van Remmen H. Using MRI to measure in vivo free radical production and perfusion dynamics in a mouse model of elevated oxidative stress and neurogenic atrophy. Redox Biol 26:101308, 2019 August, PMID: 31470261, PMCID: PMC6831885

Ross CJ, Laurence DW, Richardson J, Babu AR, Evans LE, Beyer EG, Childers RC, Wu Y, Towner RA, Fung KM, Mir A, Burkhart HM, Holzapfel GA, Lee CH. An investigation of the glycosaminoglycan contribution to biaxial mechanical behaviours of porcine atrioventricular heart valve leaflets. J R Soc Interface 16:20190069, 2019 July, PMID: 31266416, PMCID: PMC6685018

Kramer KE, Ross CJ, Laurence DW, Babu AR, Wu Y, Towner RA, Mir A, Burkhart HM, Holzapfel GA, Lee CH. An investigation of layer-specific tissue biomechanics of porcine atrioventricular valve anterior leaflets. Acta Biomater, 2019 June, PMID: 31260822, PMCID: PMC6717680

Laurence D, Ross C, Jett S, Johns C, Echols A, Baumwart R, Towner R, Liao J, Bajona P, Wu Y, Lee CH. Regional biaxial mechanical data of the mitral and tricuspid valve anterior leaflets. Data Brief 24:103961, 2019 May, PMID: 31194001, PMCID: PMC6545396

Lee CH, Laurence DW, Ross CJ, Kramer KE, Babu AR, Johnson EL, Hsu MC, Aggarwal A, Mir A, Burkhart HM, Towner RA, Baumwart R, Wu Y. Mechanics of the Tricuspid Valve-From Clinical Diagnosis/Treatment, In-Vivo and In-Vitro Investigations, to Patient-Specific Biomechanical Modeling. Bioengineering (Basel) 6, 2019 May, PMID: 31121881, PMCID: PMC6630695

Ziegler J, Zalles M, Smith N, Saunders D, Lerner M, Fung KM, Patel M, Wren JD, Lupu F, Battiste J, Towner RA. Targeting ELTD1, an angiogenesis marker for glioblastoma (GBM), also affects VEGFR2: molecular-targeted MRI assessment. Am J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 9:93-109, 2019 February, PMID: 30911439, PMCID: PMC6420708

Towner RA, Smith N, Saunders D, Brown CA, Cai X, Ziegler J, Mallory S, Dozmorov MG, Coutinho De Souza P, Wiley G, Kim K, Kang S, Kong DS, Kim YT, Fung KM, Wren JD, Battiste J. OKN-007 Increases temozolomide (TMZ) Sensitivity and Suppresses TMZ-Resistant Glioblastoma (GBM) Tumor Growth. Transl Oncol 12:320-335, 2019 February, PMID: 30468988, PMCID: PMC6251232

Laurence D, Ross C, Jett S, Johns C, Echols A, Baumwart R, Towner R, Liao J, Bajona P, Wu Y, Lee CH. An investigation of regional variations in the biaxial mechanical properties and stress relaxation behaviors of porcine atrioventricular heart valve leaflets. J Biomech 83:16-27, 2019 January, PMID: 30497683

Advanced Magnetic Resonance Center, MS 60
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
825 NE 13th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73104

Phone: (405) 271-7123
Fax: (405) 271-7254
Email: Debra-Saunders@omrf.org