Robin de Graaf, PhD
Professor of Radiology and Biomedical ImagingCards
About
Titles
Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging
Appointments
Radiology & Biomedical Imaging
ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Bioimaging Sciences
- Dean's Workshops
- Deuterium Metabolic Imaging (DMI)
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center
- Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
- Quantitative Neuroscience with Magnetic Resonance
- Radiology & Biomedical Imaging
- Yale Biomedical Imaging Institute
- Yale Ventures
Education & Training
- PhD
- Utrecht University (1998)
- Ph.D. student
- Utrecht University (1994)
Research
Overview
The main focus of Dr. Robin de Graaf's research is the study of cerebral energy metabolism and its relationship to functional activation in human and animal brains. NMR spectroscopy (proton, (inverse) carbon-13, oxygen-17 and phosphorus-31) is the most important tool in the study of metabolic processes and fluxes, non-invasively in vivo. Besides studying brain energy metabolism, a significant part of the research is reserved for technological and methodological improvements to the technique of NMR spectroscopy. These include methods for better water suppression, spatial localization, spectral editing, quantification, and shimming. Dr. de Graaf's current research focus covers areas that are all related to tackling the challenges and grasping the opportunities of MR at very high magnetic fields. Developing methods to achieve magnetic field uniformity throughout the human and animal brain are central to the technological innovation of his research. The problem of magnetic field inhomogeneity is tackled through dynamic shimming and through the use of novel electrical coil element arrays. 13C NMR methods have been pioneered at the Yale MRRC and part of his research is to extend those methods to achieve 3D coverage, higher sensitivity (through 1H detection), and higher specificity (e.g., GABA turnover detection).
Software Download:
1. Multi-coil shimming of the human brain at 7 T.
2. 3D metabolic flux mapping on rat brain in situ.
3. Development of 1H[13C] NMR methods at 7 T.
4. Compensation of gradient-related magnetic field perturbations.
5. 1H NMR-based metabolomics.
Medical Research Interests
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
News & Links
Media
- MR technology developments are focused on magnetic field shaping to allow improved magnetic field homogeneity ('shimming'), spatial localization and novel MRI methods. Educational efforts are pursued via publications, lectures, books and on-line videos. Cerebral metabolism is studied with a range of MR spectroscopy methods, including 13C and 31P MRS as well as the novel deuterium metabolic imaging (DMI) method.