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