Chapel Hill, N.C. — A team at the UNC Center for Animal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CAMRI) has published a pioneering protocol that outlines how to integrate electrochemical brain recordings with MRI imaging—a breakthrough that could transform neuroscience research and clinical applications. CAMRI is part of BRIC’s service core and provides animal imaging services.
The paper, co-authored by Dr. Tatiana Shnitko, staff scientist in Neurology and BRIC, provides step-by-step guidance for combining fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) with MRI, enabling researchers to capture both chemical and structural brain data in near real-time. This work builds on a method originally developed by former postdoctoral researcher Dr. Lindsay Walton, who first demonstrated the feasibility of recording both modalities quasi-simultaneously.
“Combining voltammetry with MRI is technically challenging because MRI gradient switching and radio frequency pulses create artifacts in voltammetry signals,” explained Dr. Shnitko. “We overcame this by timing MRI data collection during gaps in voltammetry measurements.”
An innovative aspect of the project was the development of an MRI-compatible flow cell, which reduces reliance on animal subjects for certain experiments. Remarkably, this advancement was spearheaded by Rainey Peng, who joined the lab as a high school student and dedicated more than 200 hours to designing and troubleshooting the device. Peng’s contributions earned her co-authorship on the paper; she is now a UNC undergraduate continuing her research at CAMRI.
The implications of this technology extend beyond the lab. FSCV has already been used in human brains during deep brain stimulation (DBS) procedures, where electrodes can measure neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin before DBS implantation. This protocol could serve as a foundation for future clinical applications, though additional safety and regulatory steps are required.
Beyond scientific innovation, CAMRI remains committed to training the next generation of researchers. The center offers structured programs for high school and undergraduate students, matching opportunities to career goals and adhering to UNC’s policies for working with minors.
Our diverse and collaborative environment will allow us to meet the biomedical and health challenges with the same spirit of service and innovation, empathy and expertise that found our School of Medicine and this great University.
By bridging advanced imaging and electrochemical techniques, this protocol lays critical groundwork for translating discoveries from animal models to human clinical applications—bringing us closer to real-world solutions for neurological disorders.
The full protocol paper is available in Nature Protocols: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41596-025-01250-9.