Access to Resources

The Utilization Review Committee (URC) facilitates imaging research

All imaging studies must be reviewed and approved by the URC. The URC monitors the use of RII imaging equipment and helps investigators optimize their imaging protocols to efficiently achieve the goals of their studies.

Don’t worry, it’s easy.

1. Identify your sponsor


Faculty and senior scientists at the RII serve as Sponsors for all imaging projects, providing expert consultation on project planning, data collection, and analysis.

Investigators can choose a Sponsor who has the appropriate expertise by browsing RII faculty descriptions here.

Contact your sponsor by phone or email to discuss your study.

2. Summarize your project


Download this form to summarize your project for the URC.  This description will be read and discussed at the next URC meeting.  Your sponsor can help if you have questions.

Once completed, send the form to Benita Atenco, atenco@uthscsa.edu, 210-567-8115, room 1.944 McDermott Building.

You should already have received IRB or IACUC approval before submitting your summary to Benita.

3. Attend the URC meeting


URC meeting are the 3rd Friday of each month at 10 am.  Please submit your summary by the 3rd Wednesday at 12pm.

If you need faster approval, your sponsor may be able to expedite the process for you.

URC discussions are informal and are often very helpful for investigators to receive feedback and ask questions. If you cannot attend the URC meeting, your sponsor can present the study for you.

Once a study is approved by the RII URC, a project will be created on XNAT, where the imaging data will be stored. To gain access to the project’s imaging data, the PI needs to complete the XNAT Project Agreement. Any staff or team members the PI wishes to give access to their project will need to complete and sign the XNAT User Agreement for approval. Upon completion, the forms need to be returned to Crystal Franklin, franklinc@uthscsa.edu.

URC Sponsor List

Peter T. Fox, M.D.
Neuroimaging, neural networks, default networks, human brain mapping, normal mapping, psychiatric disorders; emphasis on novel, analytic methods; Meta-analysis
Imaging methods:  MRI, PET, TMS

Geoffrey Clarke, Ph.D.
Cardiovascular Imaging Physics including magnetic resonance imaging of coronary flow and flow reserve, regional myocardial blood volume, left ventricular function, myocardial perfusion, epicardial fat, and vascular imaging agents
In-vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy including phosphorus-31 MRS in skeletal muscle, hydrogen-1 MRS of lipids in skeletal muscle, myocardial muscle, and liver
Magnetic resonance imaging physics – design of RF coils, MRI pulse programming; clinical MRI quality control tests & standards
PET of heart and skeletal muscle

Amy Garrett, Ph.D.
Pediatric neuroimaging
Neuroimaging of Psychiatric Interventions in Children and Adults
Functional MRI paradigms for studying emotion processing
Imaging methods: MRI: structural, functional, DTI

Mohamad Habes, Ph.D.
Medical Image Analysis; Age-related brain structural changes; machine learning

Sidath Kumarapperuma, Ph.D.
Chemical Biology
Infectious Disease
Molecular Imaging
Nanomedicine
Nuclear Medicine/Radiochemistry
Synthetic Chemistry

Ray Lee, Ph.D.
MRI physics, engineering, and applications
Neuroimaging for social interaction and disorders

John Li, M.D.
MRI physics with intense interest in developing and applying novel MRI methods for the study of various neurological diseases. Experiences using phase imaging, quantitative susceptibility mapping, susceptibility tensor imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, DCE-MRI to study cerebral micro-bleeds, iron deposition, white matter   alterations, blood brain barrier damages in brain development and ageing, multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury in both clinical and pre-clinical settings.

Felipe Salinas, Ph.D.
Biomedical Engineering
Computer Modeling
Eletrophysiology
Magnetic Stimulation
Neuroimaging

Qiang Shen, Ph.D.
Developing and applying magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study anatomy, physiology and function of the central nervous system in normal and diseased states in animal models.  Specific interests are: 1) stroke imaging, imaging biomarkers for early detection, longitudinal monitoring, and prediction of tissue fate of ischemic stroke; 2) novel MRI methodologies to dynamically measure blood flow, tissue oxygen tension, blood volume; 3) high-resolution functional MRI techniques for mapping layer-specific and columnar organization.
Imaging methods: anatomical imaging, cASL (blood flow), diffusion tension imaging, functional MRI