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Warwick Centre for Doctoral Training in Analytical Science

Festus Slade

Hi , welcome to my page!

I am an Analytical Science CDT student in the field of Medical Molecular Imaging/Therapeutic Applications working in the Trace Metals in Medicine lab- Prof Joanna Collingwood, Medicinal Bio-inorganic lab- Prof Peter Sadler's lab and Synthetic lab- Dr Nicola Rogers. My project is on molecular imaging of neurodegenerative diseases through Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) NMR/MRI.

Background

MRI is a powerful diagnostic tool in probing the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body as seen in the FLASH (SPGR, G.E.) localiser of my head in the axial, sagittal and coronal plane at 3 Tesla.

Gadolinium-based contrast agents (C.A) have now been in use for over 3 decades and are used in about 1 in 3 MRI scans to enhance contrast and therefore facilitate improved diagnosis. Recent trends are showcasing the need for alternative novel C.A’s and contrast mechanisms in MRI diagnostics. Furthermore, in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, there is a critical need for earlier diagnostics as current clinical presentation diagnostics are usually too late in terms of cell death propagation. CEST C.A function via reducing the water proton signal through a chemical exchange site on the agent (amide, hydroxide, amine group usually) via saturation transfer. This chemical exchange site ideally is at a large chemical shift from water. This type of C.A offers potential for both endogenous and exogenous molecule contrast for a variety of responses such as pH, temperature, ion presence etc. It is therefore of high benefit to develop new diagnostic C.A’s exploiting contrast mechanisms for use in neurodegenerative disease and is a primary aim of this project.

Project Scope

The project will utilise and provide training in the use of multiple techniques to investigate C.A and ‘biomarkers’. These include but are not limited to 9.4T NMR-MRI probe for phantom characterisation as part of the Warwick Warwick Magnetic Resonance Cluster ( as seen with the 400 MHz (1H Larmor frequency) magnet) Nuclear Magnetic resonance (NMR), Clinical MR Scanners, Synchrotron X-rays, NMR, MS.

 

Academic Societies

  • The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) - AMRSC
  • The International Society for Magnetic Ressonance in Medicice (ISMRM) - trainee
  • The European Society for Molecular Imaging (ESMI)
  • The Alzheimer's Association International Society (AAIC) to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART)
  • The European Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and Biology (ESMRMB)

Awards

  • Cardiff Award, 2018, University of Cardiff.
  • 5

Posts

ISMRM Global Relations Committee, 2021-Present

Engineering Research Symposia Competitions Chair, 2021

Proceedings

Conferences

1. AS CDT Annual Conference 2021 – University of Warwick, Peak District (Poster/Oral, June 2020) "Enabling Characterisation of the NAD+ biosynthesis pathway through in vitro CEST MRI"
2. World Molecular Imaging Congress, Online (October 2021)
3. British and Iberian Chapter Internatioal Society for Magnetic Ressonance in Medicine (BIC ISMRM) Post Graduate Symposia, Online (Networking Mug winner April, 2021)
4.BIC ISMRM MR Fest, Online ( MR Knowledge game winner- £100September, 2021)
5. 5th International Caparica Symposium on Nanoparticles/Nanomaterials and Applications, Caparica, Portugal (Excellent Shotgun Communication, Jan 2022, Poster ) SG14;

6. 17th European Molecular Imaging Meeting — Europeam Society for Molecular Imaging(ESMI), Thessaloniki, Greece (Mar 2022)
7. young British ESMI Group, Institute of Cancer Research (Chelsea), Hybrid- Online (Mar 2022)
8. Advances in Alzheimer’s Therapies Focus Meeting, AD/PD™, Barcelona, Spain (Poster, Mar 2022) P251;
9.Measurement Modelling and Materials Polymers Clusters Symposia, Warwick University, UK (Poster, Mar 2022) P
10.AS CDT Annual Conference 2022 – University of Warwick, Peak District (Oral and Poster, June 2022)

11.Analyical Sciences Network,Emearging Analytical Proffesionals 2022 Kettering, (Poster and flash pressentation, May 2022)
12. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) 2022, London, Attended.
13.AS CDT Annual Conference 2022 – University of Warwick, Peak District (Poster Oral, June 2022).
14. Health Early Career Researchers Workshop: Careers Opportunities (Poster & Oral,July 2022).
15. AAIC Alzheimers Association International Conference, San Diego, USA (Poster, July 2022).
16.Biochemistry and Inorganic Chemistry Conference 2022 - The University of Manchester (Virtual, August 2022)

Collaborations:


J. Luo, J. Everett, J. Donnelly, F. Slade, N. Telling, J. Collingwood;Transverse relaxation rate r2* and quantitative susceptibility mapping of beta-amyloid and ferritin bound iron with 9.4T preclinical MRI Talk, ADPD, Barcelona,2022


Featured in talks:
Beyond 20T, GHz NMR, Dinu Iuga ISMRM 2022 London.

Workshops attended:

16th Summer School on Biomedical Imaging: The Center for Experimental and Clinical Imaging Technologies Zurich (EXCITE Zurich) 5 September - 16 September 2022 (ETH Zürich)

Grade:

ISMRM Research Exchange Grant Winner 2023

Contact Details

Festus.Slade@warwick.ac.uk

Research gate

LinkedIn

Address

MOAC, Senate House
University of Warwick,
Coventry, United Kingdom
CV4 7AL