Daniel B. Vigneron Lab

Daniel B. Vigneron, PhD
Professor
Director, Hyperpolarized MRI Technology Resource Center
Director, Human Imaging Core Services
Director, Advanced Imaging Technologies SRG
Operations Director, Surbeck Laboratory for Advanced Imaging

Professor Daniel Vigneron's research focuses on the development of advanced functional and metabolic Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques for the study of prostate cancer, brain tumors, and diseases. He is also a core member of UCB/UCSF Graduate Group in Bioengineering.

Dr. Vigneron's group of researchers focus on developing new metabolic Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques for both basic research and clinical assessments of human diseases. This requires the development of new hardware/software and MR protocols to provide biochemical information in addition to the anatomic information provided by clinical MRI. The Vigneron lab group develops novel coil and software techniques for high field MRI, MR spectroscopy and MR diffusion imaging techniques. The group has optimized these 3T & 7T MR methods for studies of brain, prostate cancer and other organs and diseases. The Vigneron lab, located in Byers Hall on the UCSF Mission Bay campus, are now developing improved acquisition techniques and hardware for multinuclear MR spectroscopy including hyperpolarized carbon-13 metabolic imaging in the Surbeck Laboratory for Advanced Imaging. The group has a particular focus on the development of novel 3T and 7T MR methods and Dr. Vigneron is the Operations Director overseeing the technical operations of the Surbeck Laboratory. Dr. Vigneron is the Director of the NIH-funded Hyperpolarized MRI Technology Resource Center (HMTRC) and project leader for the development of novel DNP methology and HP MR acquisition techniques. He also directs the UCSF Advanced Imaging Technologies Specialized Resource Group and the UCSF RRP Human Imaging Services Core.

Publication #1 Title: Hyperpolarized ¹³C-pyruvate MRI detects real-time metabolic flux in prostate cancer metastases to bone and liver: a clinical feasibility study

Authors: Chen HY, Aggarwal R, Bok RA, Ohliger MA, Zhu Z, Lee P, Gordon JW, Van Criekinge M, Carvajal L, Slater JB, Larson PEZ, Small EJ, Kurhanewicz J, Vigneron DB

Purpose: This pilot clinical study investigated the feasibility and imaging performance of HP ¹³C-pyruvate MR metabolic imaging in prostate cancer patients with metastases to the bone and/or viscera.

Publication #2 Title: Kinetic Modeling of Hyperpolarized Carbon-13 Pyruvate Metabolism in the Human Brain

Authors: Mammoli J, Gordon J, Autry A, Larson PEZ, Li Y, Chen HY, Chung B, Shin P, Van Criekinge M, Carvajal L, Slater JB, Bok R, Crane J, Xu D, Chang S, Vigneron DB

Purpose: In this clinical research project, hyperpolarized [1-¹³C] pyruvate was intravenously injected in a total of 10 brain tumor patients to measure its rate of conversion to lactate (k_PL) and bicarbonate (k_PB) via echo-planar imaging. Our aim was to investigate new methods to provide k_PL and k_PB maps with whole-brain coverage.

Publication #3 Title: First hyperpolarized [2-¹³C]pyruvate MR studies of human brain metabolism

Authors: Chung BT, Chen HY, Gordon J, Mammoli D, Sriram R, Autry AW, Le Page LM, Chaumeil M, Shin P, Slater J, Tan CT, Suszczynski C, Chang S, Li Y, Bok RA, Ronen SM, Larson PEZ, Kurhanewicz J, Vigneron DB

Purpose: To develop methods for the preparation of hyperpolarization (HP) sterile [2-¹³C]pyruvate to test its feasibility in first-ever human NMR studies following FDA-IND and IRB approval.

Featured Publication #1 Title: Hyperpolarized ¹³C-pyruvate MRI detects real-time metabolic flux in prostate cancer metastases to bone and liver: a clinical feasibility study

Featured Publication #2 Title: Kinetic Modeling of Hyperpolarized Carbon-13 Pyruvate Metabolism in the Human Brain

Featured Publication #3 Title: First hyperpolarized [2-¹³C]pyruvate MR studies of human brain metabolism

List of Vigneron Group Publications on PubMed