This blog post gives an overview of the scientific network of researchers that are using the VASO (vascular space occupancy) for applications in layer-fMRI. I tried to give an overview of all layer-fMRI VASO papers published so far and provide a map of all layer-fMRI VASO labs around the globe.

Popularity of layer-fMRI VASO across years and countries

The first layer-fMRI VASO studies in humans were presented in 2014/2015. In the five years that followed, VASO became a credible contrast for the emerging field of layer-fMRI.

The vast majority of layer-fMRI VASO research is happening in Europe, followed by Asia. The higher 7T density in USA is not represented in a correspondingly many layer-fMRI VASO studies. This it might be due to the medical-application driven research funding environment.

Google map to browse interactively: https://layerfmri.page.link/VASO_worldwide (in case of missing sites, suggestions are welcome to layerfmri@gmail.com).

Fifty current users of layer-dependent VASO fMRI

1. Ulsan National Institute and Technology, Korea
   • Ji-Hyun Kim is using VASO to investigate the laminar patterns of RA and SA columns in S1.
   • 
   • OHBM 2021 abstract
2. Aarhus, Denmark 
   • Lasse Knudsen and Torben Lund are using layer fMRI VASO at 3T.
   • 
   • ISMRM 2021
3. VA, San Francisco, USA 
   • An Vu is using layer-dependent VASO and BOLD images and combines them into one ultimate combined measure.
   • 
   • ISMRM 2021 
4. NICT, Japan 
   • Guoxiang Liu is using VASO layer-fMRI with BISEPI at 7T.
   • 
   • OHBM 2021 talk  
5. Osaka, Japan.
   • Yinghua Yu is using VASO to investigate rhythmic somatosensory prediction.
   • 
   • OHBM 2021 abstract
6. Max Planck Institute CBS, Leipzig, Germany: 
   • Daniel Haenelt and Robert Trampel are using VASO (along with GE-BOLD and SE-BOLD) to investigate ocular dominance columns.
     

     

   • Reference: ISMRM 2020
7. SFIM, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, USA:
   • Yuhui Chai and Peter Bandettini are using VASO as a ground truth method to compare it with the VAPER contrast.
     

     

   • Reference: NeuroImage Paper
8. Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK:
   • Marcello Venzi, Joseph Whittaker, and Kevin Murphy are using high-resolution VASO to investigate the effect of CSF and veins in superficial voxels vs. parenchyma voxels.
     

     

   • Reference: ISMRM abstract 2019
9. MBIC, Maastricht University, Netherlands:
   • Renzo Huber and Benedikt Poser are working on sequence approaches to make layer-fMRI VASO easier applicable.
     

     

   • Reference: ISMRM abstract 2020, submitted
10. VA SF, USA: 
    • Alex Beckett and David Feinberg are using VASO as a ‘gold standard’ to compare it to 3D-GRASE.
      
      • This figure is taken from the BioRxiv preprint

      here.

    • Reference: BioArchive Preprint.
11. Spinoza/UMC, Utrecht/Amsterdam, Netherlands:
    • Icaro Oliviera, Jorien Siero, and Wietske van der Zwaag are using VASO to investigate the linearity of the hemodynamic response at very high resolutions.
    • 
    • Reference: Oliviera NeuroImage 2020
12. University of Sheffield: Sheffield, UK:
    • Aneurin Kennerley is using layer-dependent VASO to validate it against iron-based contrast agent fMRI in rodents.
      

      

    • Reference: ISMRM abstract 2017
13. University of York, York, UK 
    • Aneurin Kennerley and Renzo Huber are working on layer-fMRI VASO to make it doable at 3T.
      

      

    • Reference: ISMRM abstract 2020, submitted
14. University of York, UK
    • 
    • Data kindly provided by Elisa Zamboni and Aneurin Kennerley.
15. Lab of Brain and Cognition, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, USA
    • Eli Merriam and Zvi Roth use sub-millimeter VASO to map the visual topography.
      

      

    • Reference data shown here
16. Martinos Center, MGH, Boston, USA:
    • Saskia Bollmann and Jonathan Polimeni use sub-millimeter VASO to investigate the temporal features of CBV across depth.
      

      

    • Reference data shown here
17. University of Queensland, Australia:
    • Atena Akbari and Markus Barth are investigating the layer-dependent fMRI response of VASO in V1.
      

      

    • OHBM abstract 2019
18. University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK:
    • Nils Nothnagel, Andrew Morgan, and Jozien Goense implemented a 3D-EPI sequence for layer-dependent VASO imaging.
    • The first layer-fMRI VASO experiments were conducted early 2019.

    • 

19. SKKU, Suwon, South Korea:
    • Insub Kim, Won Mok Shim, and Seong Gi Kim are using layer-dependent VASO for orientation decoding across cortical depth.
      

      

    • Reference data shown here
20. Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tuebingen, Germany:
    • Jozien Goense used layer-dependent VASO in monkey visual cortex in areas of negative BOLD.
      

      

    • Data shown in Fig. 5 of this paper
21. University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK:
    • Rosa Panchuelo and Susan Francis are using ultra-high resolution VASO in order to map the sensory system.
    • The grant is described here
22. National Institute of Mental Health:
    • Andrew Persichetti, Jason Avery, and Alex Martin are using layer-fMRI VASO to investigate the intra-cortical processing of imagined and executed motor actions.
      

      

    • Current Biology paper
23. CiNet, Osaka, Japan
    • Ikuhiro Kida is using high-resolution VASO to investigate the neuro-vascular coupling features of fMRI.
    • Sequence approved from SIEMENS in Feb 2019, ethical approval received in fall 2019.
      

      

24. NYU, New York USA
    • Hanzhang Lu performed the first sub-millimeter VASO when he was graduating and leaving to NYC at that time.
      
      • This figure from Hanzhang Lu’s scans are taken from a paper published by Donahue

      2006 MRM.

    • References 1, and 2.
25. University Magdeburg
    • Esther Kuehn and Oliver Speck are piloting layer-fMRI VASO to investigate sensory-motor representations across cortical depth.
      

      

    • Pilot study in June 2018
26. Christian Doppler Klinik, Salzburg
    • Martin Kronbichler is investigating the usability of layer-dependent VASO at 3T.
      

      

    • Reference data shown here
27. NIPS, Okazaki, Japan
    • Masaki Fukunaga is using layer-fMRI VASO in the sensory motor system, in the insual, and the visual cortex.
      

      

    • Layer-fMRI VASO research agreement
28. Okayama University Hospital, Japan
    • Yinghua Yu is using layer-dependent VASO with predictive coding in the sensory system.
      

      

    • Reference
29. Max-Delbrueck-Centrum, Berlin, Germany
    • Henning Reimann and Jurjen Heij are investigating layer-dependent processing of pain.

    • 

30. Zhejiang University, China
    • Ruiliang Bai in the group of Anna Wang are using 7T VASO for high-resolution fMRI.
    • Layer-fMRI research agreement is approved by SIEMENS
31. Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
    • Lab of Peng Zhang  are using layer-fMRI VASO in humans at 7T
    • 
    • Minnesota UHF workshop 2021
32. University of Cambridge, UK 
    • Bingjiang Lyu and Chris Roger are working on the implementation of layer-fMRI VASO for application in speech fMRI.
33. University of Cambridge, UK 
    • Catarina Rua and Zoe Kourtzi are setting up layer-dependent VASO in the visual cortex.

    • 

34. Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, UK
    • James Kolasinsky and Olivia Viessmann acquired high-resolution VASO with SMS readout for application in the somatosensory system.
35. Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
    • Jun Hua developed a high-resolution 7T VASO sequence and is applying it with working memory tasks in dementia patients.
      

      

    • Reference
36. Uniklinik Freiburg, Germany.
    • Burak Akin and Ali Özen are acquiring layer-fMRI VASO at 3T with micro-stip RF-coils.
37. Klinikum Erlangen, Germany
    • Velentin Riedl, as collaborator from TUM, used VASO for quantitative fMRI at 7T.
38. DZNE, Bonn, Germany:
    • Ruediger Strinberg and Tony Stoecker implemented a VASO sequence with segmented 3D-EPI readout for SIEMENS VE systems.
      

      

39. Essen/Donders, Germany
    • Victor Pfaffenrot and Oliver Kraft are using MAGEC VASO for layer-fMRI
40. TUM, Munich, Germany
    • Valentin Riedl is using VASO to avoid administration of contrast agents.
41. Weizmann institute, Israel
    • Edna Furman-Haran uses VE VASO on the Terra
42. UIUC Illinois, USA 
    • Brad Sutton, Yuhui Chai aim to use VASO at the new Terra
43. Berkeley, USA
    • Prof. Feinberg is using layer-fMRI VASO on his Terra. This is to compare it with the results after the Terra is upgraded to the next-generation scanner.
    • 
44. MPI Tuebingen, Germany,
    • Vinod Kumar requested VASO for 9.4T scanning.
45. Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL), Belgium
    • Marco Barilari, and Remi Gau
    • 
    • Neurococ, 2021, Liege
46. Kings College London, UK
    • Fraser Aitken
47. Shanghai, Fudan Uni
    • Deniz Vatansever for Terra and Prisma
48. UT Dellas, USA, Southwestern
    • Sina Aslan for Prisma
49. Marseille, France
    • Olivier Girard
50. Bern, Switzerland
    • Andrea Federspiel
51. Showa, Tokyo, Japan
    • Takashi Itahashi
52. UC-Davis, USA
    • Audrey Fan is using 3D-EPI VASO for vascular physiology mapping.
53. London, Ontario, Canada
    • Atena Akbari and Ravi Menon
54. Rome, Italy
    • Maria Guidi 
    • 
55. NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
    • Desmond Tse and Pål Erik Goa are ramping up a layer-fMRI VASO grant for application in aging population.
    • Reference

Forty papers showing data with layer-dependent VASO

1. Donahue, M; Lu, H; Jones, C; Edden, R; Pekar, J; van Zijl, P. (2006). Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of the VASO Contrast Mechanism. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
2. Jin, T; Kim, SG. (2008). Improved Cortical-Layer Specificity of Vascular Space Occupancy FMRI with Slab Inversion Relative to Spin-Echo BOLD at 9.4 T. NeuroImage.
3. Goense, J; Merkle, H; Logothetis, N. (2012). High-Resolution FMRI Reveals Laminar Differences in Neurovascular Coupling between Positive and Negative BOLD Responses. Neuron.
4. Bandettini, P. (2012). The BOLD Plot Thickens: Sign- and Layer-Dependent Hemodynamic Changes with Activation. Neuron.
5. Huber, L; Ivanov, D; Krieger, S; Streicher, M; Mildner, T; Poser, B; Möller, H; Turner, R. (2014). Slab-Selective, BOLD-Corrected VASO at 7 Tesla Provides Measures of Cerebral Blood Volume Reactivity with High Signal-to-Noise Ratio. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
6. Huber, L; Goense, J; Kennerley, A; Ivanov, D; Krieger, S; Lepsien, J; Trampel, R; Turner, R; Möller, H. (2014). Investigation of the Neurovascular Coupling in Positive and Negative BOLD Responses in Human Brain at 7T. NeuroImage.
7. Huber, L; Goense, J; Kennerley, A; Trampel, R; Guidi, M; Reimer, E; Ivanov, D; Neef, N; Gauthier, C; Turner, R; Möller, H. (2015). Cortical Lamina-Dependent Blood Volume Changes in Human Brain at 7T. NeuroImage.
8. Guidi, M; Huber, L; Lampe, L; Gauthier, C; Möller, H. (2016). Lamina-Dependent Calibrated BOLD Response in Human Primary Motor Cortex. NeuroImage.
9. Huber, L; Ivanov, D; Guidi, M; Turner, R; Uludağ, K; Möller, H; Poser, B. (2016). Functional Cerebral Blood Volume Mapping with Simultaneous Multi-Slice Acquisition. NeuroImage.
10. Donahue, M; Juttukonda, M; Watchmaker, J. (2017). Noise Concerns and Post-Processing Procedures in Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF) and Cerebral Blood Volume (CBV) Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. NeuroImage.
11. Kazan, S; Huber, L; Flandin, G; Ivanov, D; Bandettini, P; Weiskopf, N. (2017). Physiological Basis of Vascular Autocalibration (VasA): Comparison to Hypercapnia Calibration Methods. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
12. Huber, L; Handwerker, D;Jangraw, D; Chen, G; Hall, A; Stüber, C; Gonzalez-Castillo, J; Ivanov, D; Marrett, S; Guidi, M; Goense, J; Poser, B; Bandettini, P. (2017). High-Resolution CBV-FMRI Allows Mapping of Laminar Activity and Connectivity of Cortical Input and Output in Human M1. Neuron.
13. Dumoulin, S. (2017). Layers of Neuroscience. Neuron.
14. Poser, B; Setsompop, K. (2018). Pulse Sequences and Parallel Imaging for High Spatiotemporal Resolution MRI at Ultra-High Field. NeuroImage.
15. Huber, L; Ivanov, D; Handwerker, D; Marrett, S; Guidi, M; Uludağ, K; Bandettini, P; Poser, B. (2018). Techniques for Blood Volume FMRI with VASO: From Low-Resolution Mapping towards Sub-Millimeter Layer-Dependent Applications. NeuroImage.
16. Huber, L; Tse, D; Wiggins, C; Uludağ, K; Kashyap, S; Jangraw, D; Bandettini, P; Poser, B; Ivanov, D. (2018). Ultra-High Resolution Blood Volume FMRI and BOLD FMRI in Humans at 9.4T: Capabilities and Challenges. NeuroImage.
17. Finn, E; Huber, L; Jangraw, D; Molfese, P;  Bandettini, P. (2019). Layer-Dependent Activity in Human Prefrontal Cortex during Working Memory. Nature Neuroscience.
18. Chai, Y; Li, L; Huber, L; Poser, B; Bandettini. (2019). Integrated VASO and Perfusion Contrast: A New Tool for Laminar Functional MRI. NeuroImage.
19. Huber, L; Uludağ, K; Möller, H. (2019). Non-BOLD Contrast for Laminar FMRI in Humans: CBF, CBV, and CMRO2. NeuroImage.
20. Persichetti, A; Avery, J; Huber, L; Merriam, E; Martin A. (2020). Layer-Specific Contributions to Imagined and Executed Hand Movements in Human Primary Motor Cortex. Current Biology.
21. Yu, Y; Huber, L; Yang, J; Jangraw, D; Handwerker, A; Molfese, P; Chen, G; Ejima, Y; Wu, J; Bandettini, P. (2019). Layer-Specific Activation of Sensory Input and Predictive Feedback in the Human Primary Somatosensory Cortex. Science Advances.
22. Yang, J; Yu, Y. (2019). “超高磁場・高精細レイヤー FMRI 技術による ヒト大脳皮質の層別活動の可視化.” Medical Science Digest 45(418): 418–21. http://hokuryukan-ns.co.jp/cms/books/medical-science-digest　2019年　6月臨時増刊号/.
23. Huber, L; Finn, E; Handwerker, D; Bönstrup, M; Glen, D; Kashyap, S; Ivanov, D; Petridou, N; Marrett, S; Goense, J; Poser, B; Bandettini P. (2020). Sub-millimeter fMRI reveals multiple topographical digit representations that form action maps in human motor cortex. Neuroimage.
24. Beckett, A; Dadakova, T; Townsend, J; Huber, L; Park, S; Feinberg, D. (2020). Comparison of BOLD and CBV using 3D EPI and 3D GRASE for cortical layer functional MRI at 7 T. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
25. Guidi, M; Huber, L; Lampe, L; Merola, A; Ihle, K; & Möller, H. (2020). Cortical laminar resting‐state signal fluctuations scale with the hypercapnic blood oxygenation level‐dependent response. Human Brain Mapping.
26. Huber, L; Finn, E; Chai, Y; Goebel, R; Stirnberg, R; Stöcker, T; Marrett, S; Uludag, Kim SG; Han, S; Bandettini, P; Poser B. (2021). Layer-dependent functional connectivity methods. Progress in Neurobiology.
27. Huber, L; Poser, B;  Kaas, A; Fear, E; Dresbach, S; Berwick, J; Goebel, R; Turner, R; Kennerley, A. (2021). Validating layer-specific VASO across species. NeuroImage.
28. Oliveira, Í; Cai, Y; Hofstetter, S; Siero, J; van der Zwaag, W; Dumoulin, S. (2021). Comparing BOLD and VASO-CBV population receptive field estimates in human visual cortex. Neuroimage.
29. Yu, Y; Huber, L; Yang, J; Fukunaga, M; Chai Y; Jangraw, D; Chen, G; Handwerker, D; Molfese, P; Ejima, Y; Sadato, N; Wu, J; Bandettini P. (2022). Layer-specific activation in human primary somatosensory cortex during tactile temporal prediction error processing. Neuroimage.
30. Iamshchinina, P; Haenelt, D; Trampel, R; Weiskopf, N; Kaiser, D; Cichy, R. (2021). Benchmarking GE-BOLD, SE-BOLD, and SS-SI-VASO sequences for depth-dependent separation of feedforward and feedback signals in high-field MRI. bioRxiv.
31. Akbari, A; Bollmann, S; Ali, T; & Barth, M. (2021). Modelling the depth-dependent VASO and BOLD responses in human primary visual cortex. bioRxiv.
32. Yang, J; Huber, L; Yu, Y; Bandettini, P. (2021). Linking cortical circuit models to human cognition with laminar fMRI. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.
    
33. Huber, L; Kronbichler, L; Stirnberg, R; Ehses, P; Stöcker, T; Fernández-Cabello, S; Poser, B; Kronbichler, M. (2022). Evaluating the capabilities and challenges of layer-fMRI VASO at 3T. BioRxiv.
34. Huber, L; Kassavetis, P; Gulban, O; Hallett, M; Horovitz, S. (2022). Laminar VASO fMRI in focal hand dystonia patients. BioRxiv.
    
35. Koiso, K; Müller, A; Akamatsu, K; Dresbach, S; Wiggins, C; Gulban, O; Goebel, R; Miyawaki, Y; Poser, B; Huber L. (2022). Acquisition and processing methods of whole-brain layer-fMRI VASO and BOLD: The Kenshu dataset. BioRxiv.
36. Liu, T. T., Fu, J. Z., Chai, Y., Japee, S., Chen, G., Ungerleider, L. G., & Merriam, E. P. (2022).
    Layer-specific, retinotopically-diffuse modulation in human visual cortex in response to viewing emotionally expressive faces. Nature Communications, 13 (1), 6302.
37. Akbari, A., Gati, J. S., Zeman, P., Liem, B., & Menon, R. S. (2023). Layer Dependence of
    Monocular and Binocular Responses in Human Ocular Dominance Columns at 7T using
    VASO and BOLD. BioRxiv.
38. Faes, L. K., De Martino, F., & Huber, L. ( (2023). Cerebral blood volume sensitive layer-fMRI
    in the human auditory cortex at 7T: Challenges and capabilities. PLOS ONE.
39. Dresbach, S., Huber, R., Gulban, O.F., Goebel, R. (2023). Fast layer-fMRI VASO with short stimuli and event-related designs at 7T. BioRxiv.
40. Pizzuti, A., Huber, L., Gulban, O. F., Benitez-Andonegui, A., Peters, J., & Goebel, R. (2023). Imaging the columnar functional organization of human area MT+ to axis-of-motion stimuli using VASO at 7 Tesla. Cerebral Cortex.