The Section of Plasticity and Imaging of the Nervous System (SPINS), located within the Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging (LFMI), develops novel functional and molecular imaging techniques to study brain structure and function. Emphasis is on MRI; however, some optical imaging is performed as well.
Furthermore, SPINS conducts cutting-edge research on cellular energetics; in particular, the role of the enzyme creatine kinase and regulation of mitochondrial metabolism.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Alan P. Koretsky, Ph.D.
Dr. Koretsky received his B.S. degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley. He performed postdoctoral work in the NHLBI at NIH studying regulation of mitochondrial metabolism using optical and NMR techniques. Dr. Koretsky spent twelve years on the faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University where he was the Eberly Professor of Structural Biology and Chemistry. In summer 1999, he moved to NINDS as Chief of the Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging and Director of the NIH MRI Research Facility. Dr. Koretsky's laboratory is interested in two main areas. They are actively developing novel imaging techniques to visualize brain function and study the regulation of cellular energy metabolism combining molecular genetics with non-invasive imaging tools.