Lecture on Imaging the Human Brain, particularly MRI and MR-PET, with their applications
Prof. Dr. Nadim J. Shah, Director, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine – 4, Jülich, Germany Delivers an Invited Talk on “Imaging the Human Brain” at Pakistan Academy of Sciences, Islamabad, on 02 Feb., 2026.
Pakistan Academy of Sciences (PAS) organized a popular talk on “Imaging the Human Brain, particularly MRI and MR-PET, with their Applications” by Prof. Dr. Nadim J. Shah, University Distinguished Professor and Director, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine – 4, Jülich, Germany, on February 02, 2026, in the Auditorium of the Academy at Islamabad.
Prof. Dr. Noor Muhammad Butt (Fellow PAS) and Dr. Riffat M. Qureshi (Director Admin. PAS) welcomed the honorable speaker and the participants. Around 70 participants, including professionals, scientists, academicians, policy makers and International Liaison Officials, and postgraduate students from various Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy related institutions and hospitals of PAEC like NORI, CENUM, INMOL, INOR; PIEAS, as well as those from Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA), Pakistan Nuclear Society (PNS), Health Services Academy (HSA), ECO-Science Foundation (ECO-SF), National Academy of Young Scientists (NAYS), National Institute of Health (NIH), Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Ministry of Science & Technology (MoST); Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), NORI, PAEC, NILOP, Islamabad Medical & Dental College (IMDC), National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Islamic International University Islamabad (IIUI), and National Univ. of Science & Technology (NUST) attended the lecture physically and virtually.
In his talk, Prof. Shah mainly discussed the importance of MRI and MR-PET, particularly focusing on: Advances in ultra-high-field (7T) human brain MRI; multimodal and multidimensional MRI for brain research; layer-specific functional MRI and its significance; metabolic and molecular brain imaging using MRI and MR-PET; Simultaneous MR-PET systems for in vivo neuroscience; and future research directions and clinical translation. Starting from a Brief Introduction into MRI, Prof. Shah highlighted the advances in structural-functional-metabolic imaging of the human brain with emphasis on innovations in multimodal MRI-PET; structural imaging at 7T; mapping of whole-brain resting-state networks with half-millimeter inplane resolution; layer-specific fMRI of the human brain using EPIK; sodium imaging at 4T, 7T; metabolic imaging at 3T, 7T, and 7T MR-PET; and GE-SE EPIK: fast multi-parametric QMRI towards OEF: from the idea to its application on tumour patients.
In his concluding remarks, Dr. Riffat M. Qureshi (Director Administration, PAS) highlighted the role of Pakistan Academy of Sciences in providing a unique platform to scientists, academicians and postgraduate researchers in the country to deliberate on matters related to various disciplines of S&T for socioeconomic development in the Country. He mentioned that today’s session with Prof. Dr. Nadim J. Shah has provided a great opportunity to young professionals present in the PAS auditorium as well as online participants to have an interactive discussion regarding the topic of the invited talk. He also emphasized the need to promote active and meaningful collaboration between scientists, academicians, researchers, regulators and policymakers working at the Nuclear Medical Centers, National Institutes of Health, Universities and the Ministry of Health in Pakistan to improve the health services and education in Pakistan.
Towards the end of the talk, Prof. Dr. Noor M. Butt (Fellow PAS) presented a Souvenir to the Guest Speaker Prof. Dr. Nadim J. Shah, on behalf of the Secretary General, Pakistan Academy of Sciences.
