BLOC is a European Project that brings together different academic and industrial partners to improve a new technology that integrates tissue engineering and magnetic resonance spectroscopy using dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP-MR), to monitor diabetes and liver diseases.
Marc Azagra is a PhD student working at IBEC in the frame of BLoC. He studied Chemistry, and after a master in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Mass Spectrometry he decided to pursue his scientific career in the field of NMR applied to biomedicine helping with the chip and microfluidics improvement, and all related with NMR data for BLoC project. Check this video to know a bit of what he currently does in the lab. Enjoy it!
Can you describe yourself in a couple of lines?
My Name is Marc and I am from Parets del Valles. I studied chemistry in the UAB, and doing the master I focused in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Mass Spectrometry. I really enjoyed doing NMR, so I am lucky to still be doing that in my country.
What is your role/position within BLOC?
My role in the BLOC has been helping with the chip and microfluidics improvement, and all related with NMR data (DNP polarizer, MRI acquisition).
Could you tell us a little bit about the concrete work you are involved in inside BLOC project?
Now I am trying to optimize the hyperpolarization experiments for the data acquisition. It is challenging because is the first time I do this, but I am pretty excited with the results.
What are the expected results?
Make this project work. It is quite challenging and novel, so we will have a lot of challenges to achieve our goal.
How do you feel about being a part of this European Project?
At the beginning I was quite afraid sincerely. I have worked as much as I could this last months and I feel like all of us we have a crucial role in the project. I am pretty happy to work with such competent people.
The other members of the BLOC Consortium are: Oxford Instruments, Multiwave Technologies and IDIBAPS.
If you want to know more about the project check the BLOC webpage.