Jens Frahm
Encyclopedia
Jens Frahm is Director of the Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH (Biomedical NMR Research Inc., not-for-profit) at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry
in Göttingen
, Germany.
at the Georg-August-University of Göttingen. His PhD thesis under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Hans Strehlow at the Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie was devoted to the use of nuclear magnetic resonance
(NMR) spectroscopy
for a characterization of the molecular dynamics of hydrated ions in complex solutions. He received his PhD degree in 1977 in physical chemistry
.
Working as a Research Assistant at the Göttingen MPI since 1977 Frahm formed an independent research team which focused on the new possibilities offered by spatially resolved NMR and magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) - discovered by Paul Lauterbur
in 1974 (Nobel Prize
in 2003 for Physiology or Medicine together with Sir Peter Mansfield
). In 1982 the Biomedical NMR group was formally founded and from 1984 to 1992 primarily financed via two substantial grants from the Ministry for Research and Technology of the German Federal Government.
The primary aim of the projects was a more sophisticated development of the rather modest MRI techniques available in the early eighties - mainly with respect to speed and specificity. Already in 1985 the group presented a major breakthrough for the future development of MRI in both science and medicine. The invention of a rapid imaging principle, the FLASH MRI
(fast low angle shot) technique, allowed for a 100-fold reduction of the measuring times of cross-sectional and three-dimensional images. The FLASH acquisition technique led the ground for many modern MRI applications in diagnostic imaging. Examples include breathhold imaging of the abdomen
, electrocardiogram
-synchronized quasi-real time
movies of the beating heart
, dynamic scanning of contrast media uptake, 3D imaging of complex anatomic structures such as the brain
that allow for unprecedented high spatial resolution and arbitrary view angles, and magnetic resonance angiography
(MRA) of the vasculature. Other achievements extended to MRI and localized magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) techniques based on stimulated echoes - another invention from 1984.
Up to date royalties from the group's patents serve to fully support all activities of the Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH (not-for-profit) which was founded in 1993 as an independent research unit associated with the Göttingen MPI. In 1997 Frahm become Adjunct Professor at the Faculty for Chemistry of the Georg-August-University in Göttingen.
Central to the research of Frahm is the further methodologic development of MRI and localized magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in conjunction with advanced applications in neurobiology (brain research). The truly interdisciplinary team aims at innovative noninvasive approaches to study the central nervous system
of humans and animals - from insects to primates with a special emphasis on mouse
models of human brain disorders. Using several high-field MRI systems, current possibilities include structural, metabolic, and functional assessments of the intact living brain. Techniques range from high-resolution 3D MRI studies of brain morphology and localized proton MRS of brain metabolism
to fiber
tractography
of the axonal connectivity via diffusion tensor imaging and mapping of the functional architecture of cortical networks by functional MRI.
Current methodologic projects focus on the use of iterative image reconstruction techniques for non-cartesian MRI (e.g., undersampled radial MRI) and parallel
MRI that define the reconstruction process as a nonlinear inverse problem
. Other developments address the possibility of real-time MRI in order to overcome the motion sensitivity of conventional MRI acquisitions and to monitor organ movements in real time. Most recent achievements in real-time MRI
are based on FLASH techniques with highly undersampled radial data encodings. When combined with image reconstructions by regularized nonlinear inversion, they allow for movies of the human heart with image acquisition times as short as 20 milliseconds, which correspond to MRI movies with 50 frames per second. Such real-time movies may continuously be recorded during free breathing, without ECG synchronization, and without motion artifacts.
The list of Frahm's publications exhibits more than 375 entries comprising patent
s, scientific articles, review articles, and book chapters .
Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry
The Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen is a research institute of the Max Planck Society. Currently, 812 people work at the Institute, 353 of them are scientists....
in Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
, Germany.
Life
From 1969 to 1974 Frahm studied physicsPhysics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
at the Georg-August-University of Göttingen. His PhD thesis under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Hans Strehlow at the Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie was devoted to the use of nuclear magnetic resonance
Nuclear magnetic resonance
Nuclear magnetic resonance is a physical phenomenon in which magnetic nuclei in a magnetic field absorb and re-emit electromagnetic radiation...
(NMR) spectroscopy
Spectroscopy
Spectroscopy is the study of the interaction between matter and radiated energy. Historically, spectroscopy originated through the study of visible light dispersed according to its wavelength, e.g., by a prism. Later the concept was expanded greatly to comprise any interaction with radiative...
for a characterization of the molecular dynamics of hydrated ions in complex solutions. He received his PhD degree in 1977 in physical chemistry
Physical chemistry
Physical chemistry is the study of macroscopic, atomic, subatomic, and particulate phenomena in chemical systems in terms of physical laws and concepts...
.
Working as a Research Assistant at the Göttingen MPI since 1977 Frahm formed an independent research team which focused on the new possibilities offered by spatially resolved NMR and magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , or magnetic resonance tomography is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures...
(MRI) - discovered by Paul Lauterbur
Paul Lauterbur
Paul Christian Lauterbur was an American chemist who shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2003 with Peter Mansfield for his work which made the development of magnetic resonance imaging possible.Dr...
in 1974 (Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
in 2003 for Physiology or Medicine together with Sir Peter Mansfield
Peter Mansfield
Sir Peter Mansfield, FRS, , is a British physicist who was awarded the 2003 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discoveries concerning magnetic resonance imaging . The Nobel Prize was shared with Paul Lauterbur, who also contributed to the development of MRI...
). In 1982 the Biomedical NMR group was formally founded and from 1984 to 1992 primarily financed via two substantial grants from the Ministry for Research and Technology of the German Federal Government.
The primary aim of the projects was a more sophisticated development of the rather modest MRI techniques available in the early eighties - mainly with respect to speed and specificity. Already in 1985 the group presented a major breakthrough for the future development of MRI in both science and medicine. The invention of a rapid imaging principle, the FLASH MRI
FLASH MRI
FLASH MRI is a basic measuring principle for rapid MRI invented in 1985 by Jens Frahm, Axel Haase, W Hänicke, KD Merboldt, and D Matthaei at the in Göttingen, Germany...
(fast low angle shot) technique, allowed for a 100-fold reduction of the measuring times of cross-sectional and three-dimensional images. The FLASH acquisition technique led the ground for many modern MRI applications in diagnostic imaging. Examples include breathhold imaging of the abdomen
Abdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
, electrocardiogram
Electrocardiogram
Electrocardiography is a transthoracic interpretation of the electrical activity of the heart over a period of time, as detected by electrodes attached to the outer surface of the skin and recorded by a device external to the body...
-synchronized quasi-real time
Real-time computer graphics
Real-time computer graphics is the subfield of computer graphics focused on producing and analyzing images in real time. The term is most often used in reference to interactive 3D computer graphics, typically using a GPU, with video games the most noticeable users...
movies of the beating heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
, dynamic scanning of contrast media uptake, 3D imaging of complex anatomic structures such as the brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
that allow for unprecedented high spatial resolution and arbitrary view angles, and magnetic resonance angiography
Magnetic Resonance Angiography
Magnetic resonance angiography is a group of techniques based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging to image blood vessels. Magnetic resonance angiography is used to generate images of the arteries in order to evaluate them for stenosis , occlusion or aneurysms...
(MRA) of the vasculature. Other achievements extended to MRI and localized magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) techniques based on stimulated echoes - another invention from 1984.
Up to date royalties from the group's patents serve to fully support all activities of the Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH (not-for-profit) which was founded in 1993 as an independent research unit associated with the Göttingen MPI. In 1997 Frahm become Adjunct Professor at the Faculty for Chemistry of the Georg-August-University in Göttingen.
Central to the research of Frahm is the further methodologic development of MRI and localized magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in conjunction with advanced applications in neurobiology (brain research). The truly interdisciplinary team aims at innovative noninvasive approaches to study the central nervous system
Central nervous system
The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that integrates the information that it receives from, and coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish...
of humans and animals - from insects to primates with a special emphasis on mouse
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
models of human brain disorders. Using several high-field MRI systems, current possibilities include structural, metabolic, and functional assessments of the intact living brain. Techniques range from high-resolution 3D MRI studies of brain morphology and localized proton MRS of brain metabolism
Metabolism
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...
to fiber
Fiber
Fiber is a class of materials that are continuous filaments or are in discrete elongated pieces, similar to lengths of thread.They are very important in the biology of both plants and animals, for holding tissues together....
tractography
Tractography
In neuroscience, tractography is a procedure to demonstrate the neural tracts.It uses special techniques of magnetic resonance imaging , and computer-based image analysis.The results are presented in two- and three-dimensional images....
of the axonal connectivity via diffusion tensor imaging and mapping of the functional architecture of cortical networks by functional MRI.
Current methodologic projects focus on the use of iterative image reconstruction techniques for non-cartesian MRI (e.g., undersampled radial MRI) and parallel
Parallel (geometry)
Parallelism is a term in geometry and in everyday life that refers to a property in Euclidean space of two or more lines or planes, or a combination of these. The assumed existence and properties of parallel lines are the basis of Euclid's parallel postulate. Two lines in a plane that do not...
MRI that define the reconstruction process as a nonlinear inverse problem
Inverse problem
An inverse problem is a general framework that is used to convert observed measurements into information about a physical object or system that we are interested in...
. Other developments address the possibility of real-time MRI in order to overcome the motion sensitivity of conventional MRI acquisitions and to monitor organ movements in real time. Most recent achievements in real-time MRI
Real-time MRI
Real-time magnetic resonance imaging refers to the continuous monitoring of moving objects in real time. Because MRIis based on time-consuming scanning of k-space, real-time MRI was possible only with low image quality or low temporal resolution...
are based on FLASH techniques with highly undersampled radial data encodings. When combined with image reconstructions by regularized nonlinear inversion, they allow for movies of the human heart with image acquisition times as short as 20 milliseconds, which correspond to MRI movies with 50 frames per second. Such real-time movies may continuously be recorded during free breathing, without ECG synchronization, and without motion artifacts.
The list of Frahm's publications exhibits more than 375 entries comprising patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
s, scientific articles, review articles, and book chapters .
Awards
- 1987 Honorary Member, Greek Radiological Society
- 1989 European MRI Award, German Roentgen Society
- 1990 European Magnetic Resonance Award, European Workshop on NMR in Medicine
- 1991 Gold Medal Award, International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
- 1992 Hans-Meyer-Award, Roentgen Society of Lower Saxony
- 1993 Karl-Heinz-Beckurts-Award, Beckurts-Foundation
- 1995 Fellow of the Society, International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
- 1996 State-Award for Science, President of the State of Lower SaxonyLower SaxonyLower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
- 2005 Ordinary Member, Academy of Science at Göttingen
- 2005 Research Award of the Sobek-Foundation (Multiple SclerosisMultiple sclerosisMultiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
) - 2006 Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH, Selected Location in Germany 2006: Land of Ideas
External links
- Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH: Detailed information about scientific projects and recent results
- Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie: Further general information