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.

As of today (Jan 2020) there are 31 labs around the world that are using layer-fMRI VASO with 25 published layer-fMRI VASO papers in peer-reviewed journals
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
- 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
- Aarhus, Denmark
- Lasse Knudsen and Torben Lund are using layer fMRI VASO at 3T.
- ISMRM 2021
- VA, San Francisco, USA
- An Vu is using layer-dependent VASO and BOLD images and combines them into one ultimate combined measure.
- ISMRM 2021
- NICT, Japan
- Guoxiang Liu is using VASO layer-fMRI with BISEPI at 7T.
- OHBM 2021 talk
- Osaka, Japan.
- Yinghua Yu is using VASO to investigate rhythmic somatosensory prediction.
- OHBM 2021 abstract
- 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.
This figure kindly provided by Daniel Haenelt and Robert Trampel - Reference: ISMRM 2020
- Daniel Haenelt and Robert Trampel are using VASO (along with GE-BOLD and SE-BOLD) to investigate ocular dominance columns.
- 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.
This figure kindly provided by Yuhui Chai - Reference: NeuroImage Paper
- Yuhui Chai and Peter Bandettini are using VASO as a ground truth method to compare it with the VAPER contrast.
- 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.
This figure kindly provided by Marcello Venzi - Reference: ISMRM abstract 2019
- 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.
- MBIC, Maastricht University, Netherlands:
- Renzo Huber and Benedikt Poser are working on sequence approaches to make layer-fMRI VASO easier applicable.
Whole brain VASO acquisition for easy applicability in neuroscience studies. - Reference: ISMRM abstract 2020, submitted
- Renzo Huber and Benedikt Poser are working on sequence approaches to make layer-fMRI VASO easier applicable.
- VA SF, USA:
- Alex Beckett and David Feinberg are using VASO as a ‘gold standard’ to compare it to 3D-GRASE.
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- This figure is taken from the BioRxiv preprint
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- Reference: BioArchive Preprint.
- Alex Beckett and David Feinberg are using VASO as a ‘gold standard’ to compare it to 3D-GRASE.
- 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
- Icaro Oliviera, Jorien Siero, and Wietske van der Zwaag are using VASO to investigate the linearity of the hemodynamic response at very high resolutions.
- University of Sheffield: Sheffield, UK:
- Aneurin Kennerley is using layer-dependent VASO to validate it against iron-based contrast agent fMRI in rodents.
Figure kindly provided by Aneurin Kennerley. - Reference: ISMRM abstract 2017
- Aneurin Kennerley is using layer-dependent VASO to validate it against iron-based contrast agent fMRI in rodents.
- University of York, York, UK
- Aneurin Kennerley and Renzo Huber are working on layer-fMRI VASO to make it doable at 3T.
Figure taken from Kennerley’s submitted ISMRM abstract (2020). - Reference: ISMRM abstract 2020, submitted
- Aneurin Kennerley and Renzo Huber are working on layer-fMRI VASO to make it doable at 3T.
- University of York, UK
- Data kindly provided by Aneurin Kennerley, Frida Torkelsen, and Elisabeth Fear.
- Lab of Brain and Cognition, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, USA
- Eli Merriam and Zvi Roth use sub-millimeter VASO to map the visual topography.
This figure is kindly provided by Eli Merriam. - Reference data shown here
- Eli Merriam and Zvi Roth use sub-millimeter VASO to map the visual topography.
- Martinos Center, MGH, Boston, USA:
- Saskia Bollmann and Jonathan Polimeni use sub-millimeter VASO to investigate the temporal features of CBV across depth.
This figure is kindly provided by Saskia Bollmann. - Reference data shown here
- Saskia Bollmann and Jonathan Polimeni use sub-millimeter VASO to investigate the temporal features of CBV across depth.
- University of Queensland, Australia:
- Atena Akbari and Markus Barth are investigating the layer-dependent fMRI response of VASO in V1.
This figure is kindly provided by Atena Akbari. - OHBM abstract 2019
- Atena Akbari and Markus Barth are investigating the layer-dependent fMRI response of VASO in V1.
- 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.
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0.6mm VASO during a visual paradigm acquired in Glasgow from Nils Nothnagel and Andrew Morgan
- SKKU, Suwon, South Korea:
- Insub Kim, Won Mok Shim, and Seong Gi Kim are using layer-dependent VASO for orientation decoding across cortical depth.
This figure is kindly provided by Insub Kim. - Reference data shown here
- Insub Kim, Won Mok Shim, and Seong Gi Kim are using layer-dependent VASO for orientation decoding across cortical depth.
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tuebingen, Germany:
- Jozien Goense used layer-dependent VASO in monkey visual cortex in areas of negative BOLD.
This figure is taken from Goense’s Neuron paper. - Data shown in Fig. 5 of this paper
- Jozien Goense used layer-dependent VASO in monkey visual cortex in areas of negative BOLD.
- 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
- 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.
This figure is kindly provided by Andrew Persichetti. - Current Biology paper
- Andrew Persichetti, Jason Avery, and Alex Martin are using layer-fMRI VASO to investigate the intra-cortical processing of imagined and executed motor actions.
- 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.
Double stripe of tapping induced activity.
- NYU, New York USA
- University Magdeburg
- Esther Kuehn and Oliver Speck are piloting layer-fMRI VASO to investigate sensory-motor representations across cortical depth.
Figure credits: Esther Kuehn - Pilot study in June 2018
- Esther Kuehn and Oliver Speck are piloting layer-fMRI VASO to investigate sensory-motor representations across cortical depth.
- Christian Doppler Klinik, Salzburg
- Martin Kronbichler is investigating the usability of layer-dependent VASO at 3T.
Figure credits: Martin Kronbichler - Reference data shown here
- Martin Kronbichler is investigating the usability of layer-dependent VASO at 3T.
- NIPS, Okazaki, Japan
- Masaki Fukunaga is using layer-fMRI VASO in the sensory motor system, in the insual, and the visual cortex.
Figure credits: Masaki Fukunaga - Layer-fMRI VASO research agreement
- Masaki Fukunaga is using layer-fMRI VASO in the sensory motor system, in the insual, and the visual cortex.
- Okayama University Hospital, Japan
- Yinghua Yu is using layer-dependent VASO with predictive coding in the sensory system.
This figure is kindly provided by Yinghua Yu - Reference
- Yinghua Yu is using layer-dependent VASO with predictive coding in the sensory system.
- Max-Delbrueck-Centrum, Berlin, Germany
- Henning Reimann and Jurjen Heij are investigating layer-dependent processing of pain.
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Example activation map from Henning Reimann at 0.8×0.8×0.7mm
- 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
- 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
- University of Cambridge, UK
- Bingjiang Lyu and Chris Roger are working on the implementation of layer-fMRI VASO for application in speech fMRI.
- University of Cambridge, UK
- Catarina Rua and Zoe Kourtzi are setting up layer-dependent VASO in the visual cortex.
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0.8mm VASO data from Cat Rua
- 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.
- 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.
This figure is taken from Hua’s MRM 2012 paper. - Reference
- Jun Hua developed a high-resolution 7T VASO sequence and is applying it with working memory tasks in dementia patients.
- Uniklinik Freiburg, Germany.
- Burak Akin and Ali Özen are acquiring layer-fMRI VASO at 3T with micro-stip RF-coils.
- Klinikum Erlangen, Germany
- Velentin Riedl, as collaborator from TUM, used VASO for quantitative fMRI at 7T.
- DZNE, Bonn, Germany:
- Ruediger Strinberg and Tony Stoecker implemented a VASO sequence with segmented 3D-EPI readout for SIEMENS VE systems.
Data of this figure were acquired with Stirnberg’s sequence at the 7T Terra at NIH.
- Ruediger Strinberg and Tony Stoecker implemented a VASO sequence with segmented 3D-EPI readout for SIEMENS VE systems.
- Essen/Donders, Germany
- Victor Pfaffenrot and Oliver Kraft are using MAGEC VASO for layer-fMRI
- TUM, Munich, Germany
- Valentin Riedl is using VASO to avoid administration of contrast agents.
- Weizmann institute, Israel
- Edna Furman-Haran uses VE VASO on the Terra
- UIUC Illinois, USA
- Brad Sutton, Yuhui Chai aim to use VASO at the new Terra
- 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.
- MPI Tuebingen, Germany,
- Vinod Kumar requested VASO for 9.4T scanning.
- Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL), Belgium
- Marco Barilari, and Remi Gau
- Neurococ, 2021, Liege
- Kings College London, UK
- Fraser Aitken
- Shanghai, Fudan Uni
- Deniz Vatansever for Terra and Prisma
- UT Dellas, USA, Southwestern
- Sina Aslan for Prisma
- Marseille, France
- Olivier Girard
- Bern, Switzerland
- Andrea Federspiel
- Showa, Tokyo, Japan
- Takashi Itahashi
- UC-Davis, USA
- Audrey Fan is using 3D-EPI VASO for vascular physiology mapping.
- London, Ontario, Canada
- Atena Akbari and Ravi Menon
- Rome, Italy
- Maria Guidi
- NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
- Desmond Tse and Pål Erik Goa are ramping up a layer-fMRI VASO grant for application in aging population.
- Reference
Twenty seven peer-reviewed journal papers showing data with layer-dependent VASO
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Donahue, Manus J. et al. 2006. “Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of the VASO Contrast Mechanism.” Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 56(6): 1261–73. https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.21072.
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Jin, Tao, and Seong Gi Kim. 2006. “Spatial Dependence of CBV-FMRI: A Comparison between VASO and Contrast Agent Based Methods.” Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology – Proceedings (10): 25–28.
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Jin, Tao, and Seong Gi Kim. 2008. “Improved Cortical-Layer Specificity of Vascular Space Occupancy FMRI with Slab Inversion Relative to Spin-Echo BOLD at 9.4 T.” NeuroImage 40(1): 59–67.
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Goense, Jozien B M, Hellmut Merkle, and Nikos K. Logothetis. 2012. “High-Resolution FMRI Reveals Laminar Differences in Neurovascular Coupling between Positive and Negative BOLD Responses.” Neuron 76(3): 629–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2012.09.019 (January 17, 2014).
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Bandettini, Peter A. 2012. “The BOLD Plot Thickens: Sign- and Layer-Dependent Hemodynamic Changes with Activation.” Neuron 76(3): 468–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2012.10.026.
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Huber, Laurentius et al. 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 72(1): 137–48. https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.24916.
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Huber, Laurentius et al. 2014. “Investigation of the Neurovascular Coupling in Positive and Negative BOLD Responses in Human Brain at 7T.” NeuroImage 97: 349–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.04.022.
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Huber, Laurentius et al. 2015. “Cortical Lamina-Dependent Blood Volume Changes in Human Brain at 7T.” NeuroImage 107: 23–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.11.046.
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Guidi, Maria et al. 2016. “Lamina-Dependent Calibrated BOLD Response in Human Primary Motor Cortex.” NeuroImage 141: 250–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.06.030.
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Huber, Laurentius et al. 2016. “Functional Cerebral Blood Volume Mapping with Simultaneous Multi-Slice Acquisition.” NeuroImage 125: 1159–68.
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Donahue, Manus J., Meher R. Juttukonda, and Jennifer M. Watchmaker. 2017. “Noise Concerns and Post-Processing Procedures in Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF) and Cerebral Blood Volume (CBV) Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging.” NeuroImage 154: 43–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.09.007.
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Kazan, Samira M. et al. 2017. “Physiological Basis of Vascular Autocalibration (VasA): Comparison to Hypercapnia Calibration Methods.” Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 78(3): 1168–73.
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Huber, Laurentius et al. 2017. “High-Resolution CBV-FMRI Allows Mapping of Laminar Activity and Connectivity of Cortical Input and Output in Human M1.” Neuron 96(6): 1253-1263.e7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2017.11.005.
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Dumoulin, Serge O. 2017. “Layers of Neuroscience.” Neuron 96(6): 1205–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2017.12.004.
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Poser, Benedikt A, and Kawin Setsompop. 2018. “Pulse Sequences and Parallel Imaging for High Spatiotemporal Resolution MRI at Ultra-High Field.” NeuroImage 168: 101–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.04.006.
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Huber, Laurentius et al. 2018. “Techniques for Blood Volume FMRI with VASO: From Low-Resolution Mapping towards Sub-Millimeter Layer-Dependent Applications.” NeuroImage 164(November): 131–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.11.039.
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Huber, Laurentius et al. 2018. “Ultra-High Resolution Blood Volume FMRI and BOLD FMRI in Humans at 9.4T: Capabilities and Challenges.” NeuroImage 178(June): 769–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.06.025.
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Finn, Emily S et al. 2019. “Layer-Dependent Activity in Human Prefrontal Cortex during Working Memory.” Nature Neuroscience 22: 1687–1695. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-019-0487-z.
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Chai, Yuhui et al. 2019. “Integrated VASO and Perfusion Contrast: A New Tool for Laminar Functional MRI.” NeuroImage: 116358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116358.
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Huber, Laurentius, Kâmil Uludağ, and Harald E. Möller. 2019. “Non-BOLD Contrast for Laminar FMRI in Humans: CBF, CBV, and CMRO2.” NeuroImage (July): 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.07.041.
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Persichetti, Andrew Steven et al. 2020. “Current Biology Layer-Specific Contributions to Imagined and Executed Hand Movements in Human Primary Motor Cortex.” Current Biology: preprint re-submitted. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3482808.
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Beckett, Alexander et al. 2019. “Comparison of BOLD and CBV Using 3D EPI and 3D GRASE for Cortical Layer FMRI at 7T .” bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/778142
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Yu, Yinghua et al. 2019. “Layer-Specific Activation of Sensory Input and Predictive Feedback in the Human Primary Somatosensory Cortex.” Science Advances 5(5): eaav9053. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aav9053.
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Yang, Jiajia, and Yinghua Yu. 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/.
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Huber, L., Finn, E. S., Handwerker, D. A., Bönstrup, M., Glen, D. R., Kashyap, S., … & Bandettini, P. A. (2020). Sub-millimeter fMRI reveals multiple topographical digit representations that form action maps in human motor cortex. Neuroimage, 208, 116463.
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Guidi, M., Huber, L., Lampe, L., Merola, A., Ihle, K., & Möller, H. E. (2020). Cortical laminar resting‐state signal fluctuations scale with the hypercapnic blood oxygenation level‐dependent response. Human Brain Mapping, 41(8), 2014-2027. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.24926
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Huber, L., Finn, E. S., Chai, Y., Goebel, R., Stirnberg, R., Stöcker, T., … & Poser, B. A. (2021). Layer-dependent functional connectivity methods. Progress in Neurobiology, 207, 101835. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3635355.
- Oliveira ÍAF, Cai Y, Hofstetter S, Siero JCW, van der Zwaag W, Dumoulin SO. Comparing BOLD and VASO-CBV population receptive field estimates in human visual cortex. Neuroimage. 2021;248(December 2021):118868. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118868
- Yu Y, Huber L, Yang J, et al. Layer-specific activation in human primary somatosensory cortex during tactile temporal prediction error processing. Neuroimage. 2022;248:118867.
- Iamshchinina P, Haenelt D, Trampel R, Weiskopf N, Kaiser D, Cichy RM. Benchmarking GE-BOLD, SE-BOLD, and SS-SI-VASO sequences for depth-dependent separation of feedforward and feedback signals in high-field MRI. bioRxiv. 2021:1-18.
- Akbari, A., Bollmann, S., Ali, T. S., & Barth, M. (2021). Modelling the depth-dependent VASO and BOLD responses in human primary visual cortex. bioRxiv. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.07.443052v1.full
- Yang, J., Huber, L., Yu, Y., & Bandettini, P. A. (2021). Linking cortical circuit models to human cognition with laminar fMRI. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 128, 467-478.
