Magnetic Resonance Imaging Facility Grants
The University of Manchester Magnetic Resonance Imaging Facility provides time on the University owned MRI scanners (3T at Salford Royal Foundation Trust; 1.5T at Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre; and 1.5T at the Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility) for strategic development projects by way of a MRIF grant. If you would like to collect pilot data or have a small amount of scanning which you would like to do to advance methodology or novel scanning techniques you can apply for an MRIF Grant for time on the MRI scanners free of charge.
MRIF grants are designed to support development of the MR research community and in particular the development of novel scanning or analysis methods. This may include the development of methods which are well-established elsewhere but which are not used within the MRIF. It may also include application of existing techniques to novel experimental designs. All grants will be refereed and judged both for scientific merit and against their ability to fulfil these criteria.
Please note that MRIF can only provide time on the scanner, and cannot provide any other support (data analysis, staff support, other scanning modalities). Contrast injections are currently charged at £50 per injection.
In order to apply for an MRIF Grant, you need to complete the MRIF Grant application form and return it to the MRIF Administrator Frances Davies - frances.davies@manchester.ac.uk. Once the MRIF OE has considered and approved the application, you will be asked to complete the Joint Imaging Facilities Application form with the full details of your project, along with all the regulatory paperwork.
As a recipient of a MRIF imaging grant, you and members of your research group are cordially invited to attend the monthly meetings of the MRIF MR Users Group. These meetings occur once a month and are based in the Experimental Design and Image Analysis (EDIA) Lab in the Zochonis Building. These meetings will concentrate on the imaging science, where users can discuss their MR imaging experiments, draw upon the expertise of more established users, and bring concerns and current problems they are having with their research to a group that can support them and potentially find a solution through either expertise or resource. It is a condition of your MRIF grant that you attend this meeting to present your project; it is also a networking opportunity and source of support, the underlining ethos being informal, friendly and supportive. You should contact the MRIF Administrator to arrange a meeting for you to present at.
Please note:
As a recipient of a MRIF Grant, you are required to commence your study within six months of receiving final approval; should your project be delayed in starting for any reason it is essential that you contact the MRIF otherwise your grant will be cancelled.
You will also be required to submit a twelve-monthly/final report to the MRIF to update on progress and outcomes as listed in your original application. Failure to submit this report will result in applications for future grants by those named on the application being held over until the report is submitted.
