Biophysics

Research in my NMR group at BIP focuses on the study of soft (bio-)materials, ranging from polymers to foods, and their dynamic properties. For MRI studies, we largely use the WB 7T spectrometer in various projects aiming at developing and applying (i) rheo-MRI methods for studying complex, non-Newtonian, fluids[1],[2],[3]; (ii) MRI markers for characterizing in vitro and in vivo digestion processes[4],[5],[6]; (iii) advanced image analysis methods based on phasor processing, for applications to quantitative MRI and big-data science[7]. Ongoing/future work aims at developing microcapillary flow measurements on the SB and WB 14T spectrometers. For higher-resolution measurements in liquid or semi-solid materials, e.g. in studies of lipid oxidation[8] or polymerization reactions[9], we rely on the use of the SB 16T spectrometer.

[1] Milc K., Serial M.R., Philippi J., Dijksman J.A., van Duynhoven J.P.M, Terenzi C. “Validation of temperature-controlled rheo-MRI measurements in narrow-gap Couette geometry.” In submission to Magn. Reson. Chem.

[2] Serial M.R., Bonn D., Huppertz T., Dijksman J.A., van der Gucht J., van Duynhoven J.P.M., Terenzi C. “Thixotropy in confined flow: co-existence of non-locality and shear localization.” In submission to Phys. Rev. Lett.

[3] Speksnijder B. “Narrow-gap rheo-MRI of complex food materials: the effect of microstructure on the flow properties of yoghurt”. BSc Thesis, 2020.

[4] Mayar M., Smets P.A.M., van Duynhoven J.P.M., Terenzi C. In preparation for Magn. Reson. Med.

[5] Wevers L.D. “1H NMR magnetization transfer in agar and casein gels: probing chemical exchange in proteins.” BSc Thesis, 2020.

[6] Pacillo A. “Preliminary 1H NMR relaxation study of whey protein gels as model systems for protein digestion: the effect of concentration, temperature and pH.” MSc Erasmus Thesis, 2019.

[7] Franssen W.M.J., Vergeldt F., Bader A., van Amerongen H., Terenzi C. “Full-Harmonics Phasor Analysis: Unravelling Multiexponential Trends in Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data.” J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2020, 11, XXX, 9152–9158.

[8] Arfman K. “1H HR-MAS NMR spectroscopy of lipid oxidation products in food emulsions”. BSc Thesis, 2019.

[9] Bos I., Terenzi C., Sprakel J. “Chemical feedback in a templated reaction-assembly network.” Submitted to Macromolecules.