Email: j.m.wild@sheffield.ac.uk

Research profile and key clinical specialties

My research focus is the physics and engineering and clinical applications of MR imaging of hyperpolarised gases (3He and 129Xe) and protons in the lungs and pulmonary vasculature.

The Physics and engineering projects technical developments have made a clinical impact, we have performed the first clinical studies in the UK with hyperpolarised 3He and 129Xe gas MRI.

Our research has demonstrated the role of these pulmonary MRI methods in asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, lung cancer and pulmonary hypertension.

Using hyperpolarised gas and proton lung MRI as markers we are evaluating novel pulmonary therapies in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies.

Our lung imaging methods and models are the basis of patient specific models of lung disease and exacerbation within the EU Virtual Physiological Human Project – Airprom.

Our pulmonary methods have made a clinical impact on NHS radiological practice in the diagnosis and management of patients from the Sheffield Pulmonary Vascular Disease Unit.

We are now a national and international referral centre for clinical pulmonary imaging. 

Two key publications

• Wild JM, Marshall H, Xu X, Norquay G, Parnell SR, Clemence M, Griffiths PD, Parra-Robles J. Simultaneous Imaging of Lung Structure and Function with Triple-Nuclear Hybrid MR Imaging. Radiology. 2013 Apr;267(1):251-5
• Muthana M, Kennerley AJ, Hughes R, Fagnano E, Richardson J, Paul M, Murdoch C, Wright F, Payne C, Lythgoe MF, Farrow N, Dobson J, Conner J, Wild JM, Lewis C. Directing cell therapy to anatomic target sites in vivo with magnetic resonance targeting. Nat Commun. 2015 Aug 18;6:8009.

Possible PhD projects

• Functional imaging of the lungs with hyperpolarised gas MRI.

More information

Other general research activities in research training include ISMRM and ESMRMB training schools in lung MRI and hyperpolarisation.

Keywords: Physics, engineering, protons, MRI, lungs, pulmonary, vasculature, Asthma, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, cancer, hypertension, hyperpolarised gas, proton, Airprom, Jim, Wild, Sheffield

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