Developing Synergies Between Microstructure Imaging Modalities

The Tissue Microstructure Imaging GRC is a unique forum for scientists whose primary area of research is the determination of cellular and sub-cellular biological tissue properties using magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, optical and electron microscopy, photoacoustics and other modalities. The same tissue, viewed through the prism of different imaging modalities, looks distinctly different, as each of them has its own unique scope of relevant tissue parameters and scales. The fundamental objective of the meeting is to offer a unifying look at the tissue microstructure based on all available complementary vantage points and to stimulate cross-pollination and validation of different imaging techniques, models and analysis tools. The practical objectives are to compare different imaging methods from the point of providing accurate, robust and biologically relevant assessment of tissue microstructure and function, pathological and developmental changes, and response to treatment.

The 2019 inaugural GRC has established a vibrant community of scientists open to communicating their methods to other imaging modalities. Our goal for 2021 is to build on this enthusiasm and uncover, explore and exploit complementarities and synergies, to help us validate and cross-validate our methods. To build interdisciplinary connections, the invited speakers will be specifically asked to address the two questions: (i) What unique tissue characteristics can my modality deliver and with what degree of certainty, and (ii) What are my modality's unmet needs that other modalities could potentially help with. The discussion sessions will be focused on an in-depth discussion of useful synergies and unresolved problems, that could spur future collaborations. While formally belonging to different departments and disciplines, scientists aspiring to image tissue microstructure have more in common than some may realize. This meeting will help us borrow and adapt methodologies of image reconstruction, modeling and validation of tissue architecture and function, to make tissue microstructure imaging greater than the sum of its parts.