At The Neuro, neuroscientist Udunna Anazodo is leading a pioneering initiative that could transform global access to brain imaging. Rooted in Open Science and health equity, Imaging Without Borders (IMAGINE) seeks to make magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) more accessible, portable, and sustainable, especially in underserved regions.
Access to imaging technology is one of the biggest barriers in brain research. “About 70 to 80 per cent of the world does not have access to MRI systems,” notes Anazodo, whose lab studies brain health from molecules to cognition. To close this gap, her team is developing low-field MRI systems using 3D printing and low-cost tools. These are not meant to replace clinical scanners but to enable population screening and anatomical imaging where none exists.