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Volume 6, Issue 4 | Fall 2021
Science Feature
30 Years Ago: The First fMRI results at MCW
Peter A. Bandettini, PhD, chief of the Section on Functional Imaging Methods and director of the Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Core Facility, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health
Eric C. Wong, MD, PhD, professor and associate director of Imaging Hardware Center for Functional MRI, Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine
Thirty years ago on September 14, 1991, graduate students Peter Bandettini and Eric Wong, working in the lab of Dr. James Hyde, collected the first functional MRI data at MCW—helping to usher in the field of fMRI to MCW and the world. A month earlier, the Harvard MRI group showed the first public images of preliminary fMRI data at the ISMRM meeting in San Francisco. Peter and Eric were both there, and the awe that swept across the room was palpable. At the time, Peter was looking for a means to connect MRI technology with neuroscience, and Eric had unique MRI tools in place to jump into fMRI immediately, ironically for a different project.
On that September evening, Peter volunteered to be scanned. Through the intercom, Eric yelled “go” and “stop” at various points in time, directing Peter to either tap his fingers or rest. What they saw was a clear signal increase in motor cortex when Peter tapped his fingers. Scribbled in Peter’s lab notebook for that day is his hypothesis for the train of physiological events that explain why the signal goes up rather than down, which was the more obvious expectation. It turns out he was right. In 1992, they published the first paper demonstrating “blood oxygen level dependent” contrast to noninvasively map human brain function (1), helping to launch both of their careers, and placing MCW at the top echelon of the booming fMRI universe (2).
The combination of the wide-open environment set up by Jim Hyde, Peter’s passion for imaging brain function, and Eric’s tools created the kind of rare nexus that cannot be planned, but should always be captured.
References
- Bandettini PA, Wong EC, Hinks RS, Tikofsky RS, Hyde JS. Time course EPI of human brain function during task activation. Magn Reson Med. 1992, 25:390–397.
- Bandettini PA. Sewer pipe, wire, epoxy, and finger tapping: The start of fMRI at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Neuroimage. 2012, 62:620–631.
Above Left: Peter Bandettini and Eric Wong working on wiring the first z-axis layer of the local head gradient coil using a PVC pipe as the primary structure. They took over the Biophysics machine shop and constructed the coil over a single weekend. Above Right: (A) The gradient coil as it looked when used with the MRI scanner. It was placed on the table, plugged in, and strapped down. (B and C) Two versions of the head gradient coil were created. The years show the time period during which each was used.
Above: Pages from Peter Bandettini's lab notebook, showing the date of the analysis as September 16, two days after the data collection. On the left is a “subtraction image” subtracting the average of the images collected during task (right hand finger tapping) minus the average of the images collected during rest. The image is an axial slice in which the front of the brain is toward the left, and the right is toward the top. The graphs are of time courses of signal from the motor cortex, showing (middle page) the signal dropping when the finger tapping was stopped. The graph on the right shows the signal from the motor cortex during rest, tapping, then rest. Lastly, the notes on the bottom right depict Peter’s thoughts sketching a rough hypothesis on what is causing the signal changes.
Alumni Q&A
Learn about the diverse career paths our alumni have pursued after graduating from the Biophysics Graduate Program.
Hanbing Lu, PhD, National Institute on Drug Abuse–Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health
As a graduate student, Hanbing Lu studied biophysics under the mentorship of James S. Hyde, PhD, professor of biophysics and director of the National Biomedical EPR Center at MCW. Dr. Lu received his PhD in 2003. Currently, Dr. Lu is a staff scientist in the Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Section at National Institute on Drug Abuse–Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, in Baltimore, MD.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in science?
A: My PhD advisor, Dr. Hyde, once told me that industry is driven by business. I did not quite understand that statement well at that time, but I like the high degree of intellectual freedom in academia and enjoy “being paid to think,” as a senior scientist and friend of mine once put it, so I decided to pursue a career in science.
Q: Since obtaining your PhD here in Biophysics in 2003, share with us your career progression to your current role as Staff Scientist in the Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Section of the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s Intramural Research Program.
A: I first joined the National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, in 2004 as a research fellow, and have been with NIH ever since. I was promoted to staff scientist in 2008.
Q: Tell us about your major responsibilities, and what projects, committee service, or other activities you might work on in a typical week.
A: My basic responsibility is to ensure the Bruker MRI scanner remains optimally functional, but that takes only about 10% of my time. In addition, I am a full member in the Animal Care and User Committee. Business in this committee is very serious at the NIH. I spend the rest of my time working with trainees and doing research.
Q: What aspect of your current job do you find most rewarding, and why?
A: My current research focuses on technology development in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and applications of TMS in rodent models. We have made major progress in TMS technology, which has the potential to directly translate to patient care. This is profoundly rewarding to me.
Q: What advice do you wish you had been given as a graduate student?
A: I wish I had been instilled the concept that networking is important. As a graduate student, I thought papers were important, and scientists respect papers. These views still hold true, but science is conducted by scientists.
Q: What qualities would you look for if you were in the position to hire a recent graduate from MCW?
A: Critical thinking is the most important thing I would look at first. Some necessary research skills are important too.
Q: How do you continue learning and growing as a professional? What are some of your habits aside from reading/listening?
A: There are a lot of seminars at the NIH. I like to sit in seminars relevant to my field (imaging, psychiatric disorders/drug addiction), and find new directions that I can play with my strength.
Department News
Farewell
- Malory Mueller (research technologist I, Klug lab)
Congratulations
- Balaraman Kalyanaraman published a paper in Pain Research and Management.
- Balaraman Kalyanaraman & Jimmy Feix were awarded an Office of Research Program Project Formation Grant (PI: Cecilia Hillard), titled "Development of novel therapies to potentiate levodopa effects."
- Balaraman Kalyanaraman, Jacek Zielonka, & Gang Cheng are inventors of a new US patent for mito-magnolol compounds to treat melanoma.
- Candice Klug was recognized at convocation for receipt of the James S. Hyde Professorship, which was established by numerous donors in 2009 to honor the longtime professor of Biophysics and director of the Biophysics Research Institute and National Biomedical EPR Center at MCW.
- Candice Klug, Mike Lerch, & Jimmy Feix published a chapter in Nitroxides: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications.
- Melissa Prah & Kathleen Schmainda published a paper in Neurosurgery Open.
- Karol Subczynski published a paper in Computation and Structural Biotechnology Journal.
- Karol Subczynski & Natalia Stein published a paper in Applied Magnetic Resonance, as part of the collection Harold M. Swartz: On the Occasion of His 85th Birthday, and a chapter in Cholesterol: from Biophysics to the Clinics.
- Doug Ward, Gary Chen, & Shi-Jiang Li published a paper in European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience.
- Jacek Zielonka published a paper in Molecules.
Years of Service
Congratulations to these Biophysics faculty members, who were honored at convocation for their years of service to MCW. Thank you for your commitment and hard work!
- Richard Mett (20 years)
- Kathleen Schmainda (25 years)
- Karol Subczynski (20 years)
Outstanding Graduate School Educators
Outstanding Graduate School Educator Pins are awarded annually to honor faculty who have made a significant contribution to graduate education. This year, pins were awarded to the following Biophysics graduate faculty. Thank you for your dedication to our students!
- Matthew Budde
- Joseph Carroll
- Jimmy Feix
- Adam Greenberg
- Neil Hogg
- Candice Klug
MCW 2021–2022 Common Read: Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller
Review by Lydia Washechek, BA, scientific copy editor, Biophysics
I was first aware of Chanel Miller—by name—from her Instagram account. After the Atlanta spa shootings in March 2021, a friend shared one of Miller’s cartoons in her feed. (Note: Scroll through the link to see the full cartoon—it’s powerful.) Only later did I realize the woman whose Instagram account I’d started following was someone I’d encountered before—Emily Doe from The People of the State of California v. Brock Allen Turner case—and whose victim impact statement, widely shared on Buzzfeed in 2016, shook me to my core.
In her memoir, Know My Name, Miller tells the details surrounding her sexual assault and subsequent trial, and how her life—and the lives of those around her—were irreversibly altered by the assault. Her memoir shows the failings of colleges and criminal justice systems; how biases, double standards, and issues of class and race come into play; and the ways in which sexual violence affects all of us, even if indirectly. What is particularly moving about this book is Miller’s writing, which—like her cartoons—is eloquent, deeply personal, and unfalteringly witty; weaved within her story are her intimate thoughts and daily rituals, which show us she’s a whole person—vulnerable, thoughtful, fierce, funny, and brimming with potential—not just a nameless statistic. She has poured her heart and soul into this memoir and is fighting for change.
Know My Name was chosen as the MCW 2021-2022 Common Read because the "Common Read Program believes [it] will start conversation that is very much needed, not only at MCW, but in the medical community as a whole." You can read an excerpt of the book on the Penguin Random House website. Please note that this book may be triggering to some readers.
Reminders
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Recipe
Three-Bean Ragout with Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Recipe by Chef Freddie Bitsoie
For Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin (~1 pound)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 3 tablespoons oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl, and then rub them onto the pork.
- Heat a sauté pan or griddle to medium-high heat and add oil. Sear all sides of the pork until the spices form a crust.
- Place the pork on a baking sheet and roast it in the oven for 20–25 min, or until the pork reaches 145°F. Set the pork aside to rest for about 5–10 min.
For Bean Ragout
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ of a carrot, finely diced
- ½ of a celery stalk, finely diced
- 1 cup cooked kidney beans
- 1 cup cooked cannellini beans
- 1 cup cooked black beans
- ½ cup diced tomatoes
- 2½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a heavy-bottom medium pot. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, carrot, and celery. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and allow the ingredients to sweat. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the cooked beans, tomato, and stock and bring to a light boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer; the stock will thicken.
- Adjust seasoning to taste.
Serving Instructions
Slice the pork tenderloin. Spoon some ragout onto a plate and top with pork slices.
Recipe obtained from Earth Eats.
Biophysics News is a quarterly MCW departmental newsletter aimed at enhancing departmental engagement through information and good news sharing. Do you have information you’d like to share–news, a photo, a recipe? Send it to Lydia.
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