Project Details
Projekt
Werner-Kaiser-Research-Center
Subject Area
Medical Physics, Biomedical Technology
Medical Informatics and Medical Bioinformatics
Radiology
Medical Informatics and Medical Bioinformatics
Radiology
Term
since 2026
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 576738170
The Werner Kaiser Research Center (WKFZ) at Jena University Hospital (UKJ) specializes in scientific research in the field of imaging. It pursues a unique, integrated approach that combines state-of-the-art MRI technologies with comprehensive, privacy-compliant research data management. To ensure future viability and competitiveness and to address current challenges such as multi-center data exchange, complex data analysis, and access to the latest MRI and AI methods, the existing Core Facility is to be expanded into a DFG Core Facility. The main objective is to create an excellent research environment by breaking down the separation between research and information infrastructure. The center will promote interdisciplinary collaborations and efficiently support researchers from the planning stage through to publication. The goals for the proposed 5-year term are to be implemented in five central work packages. These include providing vendor- and field-strength-independent MRI methodology by developing the latest methods, especially for a new 7T high-field MRI scanner and establishing the open-source environment Pulseq. A further focus is cross-institutional research data management, for which a privacy-compliant concept with a separate research network zone, segregated from the clinical network, and a pseudonymization interface will be implemented. To optimize data analysis, standardized and container-based data processing pipelines will be established on central computing resources to increase efficiency and reproducibility. Furthermore, an infrastructure for AI solutions will be created, enabling researchers to easily apply or develop their own AI models. Finally, competence acquisition, coordination, and networking will be strengthened through the professionalization of management and support structures to comprehensively support researchers, for instance with ethics and data protection applications, and to promote networking.
DFG Programme
Core Facilities
Applicant Institution
Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
