Irene Marco Rius

Dr. Irene Marco Rius
Dr. Irene Marco Rius

Position

I am a post-doctoral researcher at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) in the group of Prof. Dan Vigneron. My research focus is using magnetic resonance together with hyperpolarisation to study metabolic changes in cancer and other diseases, which allows for an early diagnosis and adaptation of the treatment to the patient’s needs.

RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS

My main research interest is developing new strategies for cancer and disease detection using 13C-magnetic resonance. Dynamic nuclear polarization is one of the techniques that make it possible by boosting 13C signal and reducing scan time.

If you are interested to know more about my work? Please have a look at my publications.

 

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

In July 2014 I obtained my PhD degree in Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge (UK).

My studies and research have given me the opportunity to travel and explore the world (Germany, Netherlands, UK, Denmark, Israel, USA, China, Brazil, Spain…).

More informatiom about the places I have been to and which universities I got my degrees from, below.

 

ABOUT ME

I am a post-doctoral researcher at UCSF, working on developing techniques for cancer detection using magnetic resonance.

I love hiking, going for a coffee and drink with a good friend and spending long hours talking about everything, singing, dancing, watching movies on lazy evenings with Michael… But this site is about my research, so don’t forget to check out the other sections too!

 


Peer reviewed publications in journals

For a full list of publications in google scholar click here.

Tayler, M. C. D., Marco-Rius, I., Kettunen, M. I., Brindle, K. M., Levitt, M. H. and Pileio, G. 2012. Direct enhancement of nuclear singlet order via dissolution DNP. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 134, 7668-7671. DOI: 10.1021/ja302814e

This article was highlighted by J. Am. Chem. Soc.

Marco-Rius, I., Wack, L., Tsiamas, P., Tryggestad, E., Berbeco, R., Hesser, J. and Zygmanski, P. 2013. A fast analytic dose calculation method for arc treatments for kilovoltage small animal irradiators. Phys. Med., 29 (5), 426-435.

Marco-Rius, I., Tayler, M. C. D., Kettunen, M. I., Larkin, T. J., Timm, K. N., Serrao, E. M., Rodrigues, T. B., Pileio, G., Ardenkjaer-Larsen, J. H., Levitt, M. H. and Brindle, K. M. 2013. Hyperpolarized singlet lifetimes of pyruvate in human blood and in the mouse. NMR Biomed., 26 (12), 1696-704.

Marco-Rius, I., Bohndiek, S. E., Kettunen, M. I., Larkin, T. J., Basharat, M., Seeley, C. and Brindle, K. M. 2014. Quantitation of spin polarization-induced Overhauser effect (SPINOE) between a hyperpolarized 13C-labeled cell metabolite and water protons. Contrast Media Mol. I. 9 (2), 182-186.

Schmidt, R., Laustsen, C., Dumez, J.-N., Kettunen, M. I., Serrao, E. M., Marco-Rius, I., Brindle, K. M., Ardenkjaer-Larsen, J. H. and Frydman, L. 2014. In vivo single-shot 13C spectroscopic imaging of hyperpolarized metabolites by spatiotemporal encoding. J. Magn. Reson., 240, 8-15.

Dzien, P., Kettunen, M. I., Marco-Rius, I., Serrao, E. M., Rodrigues, T. B., Larkin, T. J., Timm, K. N. and Brindle, K. M. 2014. 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging of hyperpolarized [1‑13C, U‑2H5] ethanol oxidation in vivo can be used to assess aldehyde dehydrogenase activity. Magn. Reson. Med. (2014).

Dissertations

Ph.D. : Preserving hyperpolarised spin order to study cancer metabolism

Biochemistry Department and Cambridge Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

Supervisor: Prof. Kevin Brindle

M.Sc. : kV small animal irradiator: beam model and dose calculation (GPA 1.0; maximum, “outstanding achievement”)

Harvard Medical School, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston, USA

Supervisor: Prof. Piotr Zygmanski

B.Sc. : Comparison of bremsstrahlung cross-sections (GPA 1.3; “outstanding achievement”)

German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany

Supervisor: Prof. Uwe Oelfke

Selected peer-reviewed abstracts at conferences

Marco-Rius, I. and Brindle, K. M. Measuring polarization by JCC-doublets’ asymmetry in hyperpolarized [1,2-13C2]pyruvate may be distorted by singlet order (poster presentation). 55th Experimental Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Conference (ENC), March 2014, Boston, USA

Marco-Rius, I. and Brindle, K. M. Nuclear singlet states: a sensitivity boost for NMR studies of cancer metabolism? (oral presentation). 63rd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, June 2013, Lindau, Germany

Marco-Rius, I., Tayler, M. C. D., Larkin, T. J. and Brindle, K. M. Accessing the singlet states of the proton and carbon pairs in [1,4‑13C2]fumarate (poster presentation). 18th meeting of International Society of Magnetic Resonance (ISMAR), May 2013, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Marco-Rius, I., Tayler, M. C. D., Kettunen, M. I., Larkin, T. J., Timm, K. N., Serrao, E. M., Rodrigues, T. B., Pileio, G., Ardenkjaer-Larsen, J-H., Levitt, M. H. and Brindle, K. M. Hyperpolarized pyruvate singlet lifetime in blood and in the mouse (electronic poster presentation). 21st meeting of International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM). April 2013, Salt Lake City, USA

Marco-Rius, I., Tayler, M. C. D., Kettunen, M. I., Larkin, T. J., Timm, K. N., Serrao, E. M., Rodrigues, T. B., Pileio, G., Ardenkjaer-Larsen, J-H., Levitt, M. H. and Brindle, K. M. Probing the singlet state of [1,2-13C2]pyruvate in whole blood and in vivo (poster presentation). European meeting on magnetic resonance (EUROMAR), July 2012, Dublin, Ireland

Marco-Rius, I. and Brindle, K. M. Extending the observation window of hyperpolarized MRI (oral presentation).

1st METAFLUX workshop, Marie Curie Initial Training Network, April 2012, Barcelona, Spain

 


 

Current academic position

University of California San Francisco, California, USA

Post-doctoral scholar-employee at Prof. Vigneron’s laboratory

Project aim: Develop hyperpolarized 13C magnetic resonance methods for human clinical studies

Academic degrees

University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

Ph.D. Biochemistry (4/2011 – 7/2014)

Ph.D. Thesis: Preserving hyperpolarised spin order to study cancer metabolism

Supervisor: Prof. Kevin Brindle

University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany

M.Sc. Medical Physics (9/2009 – 9/2010)

Harvard Medical School, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston, USA

M.Sc. Thesis: kV small animal irradiator: beam model and dose calculation

(GPA 1.0; maximum, “outstanding achievement”)

Supervisor: Prof. Piotr Zygmanski

Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain

B.Sc. Physics (4-year course: 9/2005 – 7/2009)

German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany

B.Sc. Thesis: Comparison of bremsstrahlung cross-sections

(GPA 1.3; “outstanding achievement”)

Supervisor: Prof. Uwe Oelfke

Courses and workshops attended

7/2012      METAFLUX workshop on cancer metabolism, University of Birmingham, UK

7/2012      COST spin hyperpolarization meeting, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

2/2012      Hot-topics on spin hyperpolarization, Lorentz center, Leiden, Netherlands

11/2011    Dynamic Nuclear Polarisation workshop, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland

9/2011      Introductory statistics and research methods course, University of Cambridge, UK

8/2010      7th summer workshop on image guided and robotic radiotherapy, Uniklinikum Mannheim, University of

Heidelberg, Germany

1/2010      Workshop in radiotherapy and optics, Jiao Ton University, Shanghai, China

Professional memberships

Since 2013      Member of the Society of Spanish Researchers in the United Kingdom (SRUK)

Since 2013      Member of the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA)

Since 2012      Member of the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)

Since 2011      Vice-secretary General and Young Researchers’ Group Coordinator of the administrative board of

the Marie Curie Fellows’ Association (MCFA)

Since 2011      Fellow of the Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge, UK

 


 

Travel Awards

2014           Isotec Student Sponsorship

2014           Fitzwilliam Society Trust Research Fund travel award

2013           International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine educational stipend

2013           Isotec Student Sponsorship

2013           International Society of Magnetic Resonance travel award

2013           European Commission sponsorship to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting

First class work awards

2013           Fitzwilliam College senior scholarship, University of Cambridge, UK
Awarded by the Tutorial Committee on the basis of first class work

2013           First prize: Best poster presentation award at the “Hyperpolarized Media Study Group”, International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 21st annual meeting

2012           Fitzwilliam College senior scholarship, University of Cambridge, UK

2012           First prize: Best student oral presentation at 1st METAFLUX workshop, Marie Curie Initial Training Network

2006           Excellence Award of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain.
Graded in top 10 of all examination entrants across region of Catalunya, Spain, in national university entrance exams

Research funding

2012           EU network for hyperpolarisation physics and methodology (COST Action TD1103)
Funding of Short Term Scientific Mission for 6-week visit to Radboud University (NL)
Project: Boosting nuclear polarization for metabolic NMR

2011           Marie Curie Initial Training Network Fellowship, METAFLUX project (FP7-ITN)

2010           University of Heidelberg award to work on M.Sc. thesis at Harvard Medical School

2009           DAAD-La Caixa” foundation (Spain-Germany) scholarship to study master in Medical Physics at Heidelberg

2008/09      Erasmus and AGAUR (European Union) scholarships to study at Heidelberg