Philanthropic capital opportunities expression of interest medical imaging

£10m needed – University of Nottingham

The University of Nottingham is a global leader in the development of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and our Professor of Physics, Sir Peter Mansfield (1933-2017) was awarded the Nobel Prize for his pioneering work on MRI.

We maintain a well-established position at the forefront of the development of medical imaging technologies, and this has been recognised by Nottingham being chosen to host the country’s most powerful, ultrahigh-field (11.7T) MRI scanner as a national facility. This step-change in field strength which will provide transformative improvements in sensitivity over conventional scanners, producing exquisite anatomical and metabolic information.

This will be complemented by a highly innovative, sensitive and wearable optically pumped magnetometers- magnetoencephalography (OPM–MEG) device, providing information on the brain’s electromagnetic activity, developed by Nottingham’s physicists over the last seven years.

The knowledge produced by our unique combination of approaches, coupled with our expertise in data science, promises transformative advances in the diagnosis, treatment and management of disease, to improve patient care across the world.

Our goal is to develop new technologies and treatments to tackle neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s Disease, which are the leading cause of disability and second leading cause of death across the world, and form an increasing burden on families and healthcare systems and globally.

Whilst we have attracted £84m in research funding over the last five years, we are seeking a philanthropic investment of £10m to provide the excellent clinical infrastructure and bespoke patient environment needed to perform sensitive studies on these vulnerable patients, and to draw together academics and clinicians in a shared interdisciplinary space where diverse ideas can grow and flourish.

This investment will establish a world-leading centre to investigate the origins of these devastating neurological conditions and develop new imaging biomarkers to improve the design and targeting of the new drugs that are currently becoming available, to improve healthy life span globally.

Key facts

• This investment will establish a world-leading centre to investigate the origins of devastating neurological conditions
• Global leader in the development of MRI
• Professor of Physics, Sir Peter Mansfield (1933-2017) was awarded the Nobel Prize
• University of Nottingham hosts the country’s most powerful, ultrahigh-field MRI scanner as a national facility
• Develop new technologies and treatments to tackle neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s Disease
• Develop new imaging biomarkers to improve the design and targeting of the new drugs
• Attracted £84m in research funding over the last five years, University of Nottingham are seeking a philanthropic investment of £10m to provide the excellent clinical infrastructure and bespoke patient environment for sensitive studies