Alan Moody MBBS, FRCP, FRCR

Senior Scientist, Physical Sciences, Schulich Heart Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute

Staff Physician, Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Chair and Professor, Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto

Associate Professor, Institute of Medical Science, School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto

Associate Professor, Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto

Research Focus

    Vascular imaging
    Vascular biology
    Atheroma
    Perfusion
    Thrombosis
    Disease process

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has rapidly established itself as a major imaging technique for the visualization of vascular diseases. In particular, magnetic resonance direct thrombus imaging (MRDTI) provides a closer, more in-depth look into occluded arteries, providing information never seen before, and has the potential of changing the standard of imaging everywhere. This new MRI technique aims at early diagnosis and intervention to prevent strokes and heart attacks by detecting vulnerable plaques in arteries of patients who are asymptomatic.

Dr. Moody and his team are interested in developing and incorporating such imaging techniques in a comprehensive effort to identify and stabilize vulnerable plaques in one integrated procedure. Applications of MRDTI in the coronary, renal arteries and aorta are also underway.

The following areas are also under investigation using MRDTI: Ischemia; treatment of occlusive vascular disease; atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary and neurovascular circulations; deep venous thromboses; and diagnostic utility in endometriosis.

John Mercer, PhD

Professor and Division Director, Oncologic Imaging, Department of Oncology, University of Alberta

Research Director, Edmonton PET Centre

Research Focus

My research interests are centered on the development and preclinical assessment of PET radiopharmaceuticals.

My present active research areas include the use of PET prosthetic groups for labeling peptides and oligonucleotides and the use of these constructs in molecular imaging and in particular in the development of apoptosis imaging agents.

Ting-Yim Lee, PhD, FCCPM

Scientist, Robarts Research Institute

Medical Physicist, St. Josephs Health Care

Scientist, Lawson Health Research Institute

Professor, Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Medical Biophysics, Western University

Research Focus

My research interests include:

    Stroke: Accute stroke imaging using CT
    Heart Attack: Measurement of Myocardial blood flow using CT
    Cancer: Hypoxia imaging using CT

Eric Larose DVM, MD, FRCPC, FAHA

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Université Laval

Interventional cardiologist, Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec (IUCPQ)

Co-Director, Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance & Computed Tomography, Joint Cardiology and Radiology Advanced Imaging Sector at IUCPQ

Director, Laboratoire d’Imagerie Cardiovasculaire Avancée (LICA), IUCPQ Research Centre

Research Focus

My research program focuses on atherosclerosis and its screening before it progresses to myocardial infarction, stroke or sudden death.

I strive to advance atherosclerosis imaging research; my team and I are interested in the biological determinants of atherosclerosis instability and the heterogeneity of atherosclerotic disease. Over the past 9 years, I have developed novel methodologies to assess characteristics of atherosclerosis vulnerability in patients, and established CT and MRI cardiovascular imaging core laboratories (LICA) which serve both my own research activities and multicenter trials. Member of many national and international expert committees, I also contribute to the development of guidelines in cardiology and imaging.