1.5 million euros for computational modeling from super-fast MRI

Dr. Cristóbal Bertoglio has been awarded an ERC Starting Grant for hi-fi cardiovascular modeling from super-fast MRI. The Starting Grant is worth EUR 1.5 million, intended to allow talented young researchers to set up a research team and spend five years on their research. Bertoglio’s research project called CardioZoom, aims to make possible quantitative MRIs of thin cardiovascular structures at very short MRI scan times.

Dr. Cristóbal Bertoglio is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Within the Bernoulli Institute for Mathematics, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence , he focuses on Computational and Numerical Mathematics.

MRI not suited for thin cardiovascular structures

Computational modeling of the cardiovascular system has already shown promising results in improving clinical outcomes in few diseases. The preferred choice for cardiovascular data is Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Unfortunately, MRI is not reliable for imaging the kinematics of thin structures like valves, arterial, atrial and right-ventricular walls, or they involve long and complex scans for the left-ventricle.

The ambition of Bertoglio’s research CardioZoom is to bring forth novel methods for personalizing the computational models for these challenging anatomical structures, but also from simple and very short MRI scan times, and without compromising the reliability of the personalized models. If successful, the project may lead to new means of studying cardiovascular disease and potential new diagnostic tools.