The course was developed through EUPHORIA partnership funding (from the Medical Research Council) to support training, collaboration and capacity building in hyperpolarised carbon-13 MRI.
Hyperpolarised MRI temporarily boosts signals from carbon-13 labelled molecules, allowing researchers to observe metabolism inside the body in real time. The technique is attracting growing interest because of its potential to improve understanding of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders and metabolic conditions.
Thirteen participants enrolled in the inaugural course, representing a range of career stages and disciplinary backgrounds. Participants were drawn from universities, hospitals and research institutes and included researchers working in medical physics, biomedical engineering, preclinical imaging, radiography and clinically oriented research.
Over five months, participants took part in weekly online lectures and discussions, reflective learning activities, peer feedback exercises, collaborative research projects and an open book assessment. The programme covered the science behind hyperpolarisation, imaging hardware and data acquisition, metabolic imaging, and the design and interpretation of preclinical and clinical studies.
One participant described the course as 'very valuable, covering the entire topic', and another said that it would equip them 'to make more well informed and knowledgeable design decisions' in future research projects.
Alongside scientific training, the programme also strengthened wider research skills, including teamwork, critical evaluation, scientific communication, self-reflection and peer assessment. Feedback from the first cohort will help shape future deliveries of the course as the EUPHORIA partnership continues to develop training opportunities in hyperpolarised MRI and build capacity in this emerging field.
Researchers interested in future training opportunities will be able to find updates through the EUPHORIA website.