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Kiwi scientists are contributing to global breakthroughs in brain science, with five papers involving Gisborne-based Mātai Medical Research Institute and other New Zealand teams published in a special issue of the UK Royal Society’s journal Interface Focus.
The special issue, titled The Pulsing Brain, brings together cutting-edge international research exploringhow subtle brain movements and fluid shifts linked to each heartbeat can help better understand brain health, ageing and disease.
Mātai Medical Research Institute has established itself as a leader in advanced medical imaging, equipped with a state-of-the-art GE 3-Tesla MRI scanner and a team of world-class researchers.
Mātai focuses on enhancing medical imaging using novel MRI techniques, advanced image processing, artificial intelligence and computational modelling.
Dr Samantha Holdsworth is research director/chief executive of Mātai Medical Research Institute in Tairawhiti and associate professor at the University of Auckland's Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging.
The idea for the special issue arose during the interdisciplinary Royal Society “Pulsing Brain” meeting co-chaired by Matai chief executive and University of Auckland associate professor Samantha Holdsworth, held in the United Kingdom last June.
The meeting brought together global leaders in MRI, neuroscience, ultrasound and bioengineering to discuss recent developments in brain pulsation research.
It was agreed at the meeting to produce a dedicated issue to showcase advancements by experts around the world in the area.
“The practical applications of these research papers are quite impactful,” Holdsworth said.
“They demonstrate how we can study the brain in a non-invasive way, which may help us detect and manage conditions like dementia, concussion, hydrocephalus and Chiari malformations earlier and more accurately.”
Mātai contributed to five of the papers, drawing on data collected over the past three years.
A centrepiece technology used included amplified MRI (aMRI), which makes the brain’s subtle movements clearly visible. These movements are believed to be essential indicators of brain health.
“We are leading the technical development of amplified MRI, but it doesn’t stand alone,” Holdsworth said.
“We’re also using non-invasive blood and brain fluid imaging and computational modelling to quantify brain pressure and flow, with the goal of developing a non-invasive way to measure brain pressure — something that doesn’t currently reliably exist in clinical practice.”
Mātai is working with GE HealthCare and international partners to distribute and validate its aMRI package worldwide, enabling broader adoption and clinical translation.
In addition to the opening perspective article, which outlines the state of the field, the four other collaborative papers feature contributions from Mātai, University of Auckland’s Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Auckland Bioengineering Institute, Ghent University, GE HealthCare and other global institutions.
“These papers represent years of groundwork and collaboration. It’s a proud moment for our team and for New Zealand science,” Holdsworth said.
