Research Facilities

The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital is a world-leading research hub focused on the development and application of advanced biomedical imaging technologies. Part of the MGH Department of Radiology and affiliated with Harvard Medical School and MIT, the Center brings together scientists, engineers, clinicians, and data experts to invent first-of-kind tools and apply them across neuroscience, oncology, cardiology, and other clinical domains.

Located in the Charlestown Navy Yard, the Martinos Center occupies ~85,000 square feet and includes state-of-the-art imaging suites, laboratories, computational infrastructure, and collaborative workspaces that support both basic discovery and clinical translation.

 

Human Imaging Platforms

 

MRI Core

The MGH Human MRI Core includes eight advanced research-dedicated Siemens MRI systems supporting a large, international user community. The facility provides comprehensive subject support space, web-based scheduling and SOPs, and specialized capabilities spanning 3T and 7T MRI, functional imaging, diffusion, spectroscopy, and multi-nuclear applications. Several systems are configured for advanced neurostimulation and electrophysiology integration, including simultaneous TMS/MRI and EEG.

Highlights include:

  • Ultra-high-field 7T MRI for submillimeter structural and functional brain mapping

  • A next-generation 7T Impulse system under construction (anticipated readiness summer 2026) designed for exceptionally high-performance fMRI and diffusion imaging

  • The Human Connectome 2.0 scanner, a one-of-a-kind system built with Siemens to enable next-generation diffusion and functional neuroimaging

  • Support for hyperpolarized MRI for metabolic imaging studies

 

PET and Hybrid Imaging

Martinos also supports advanced PET and hybrid platforms, tightly integrated with on-site radiochemistry:

  • MR/PET systems (head-only and whole-body) for simultaneous PET-MR research

  • A long axial field-of-view (LAFOV) total-body PET/CT system enabling highly sensitive, dynamic, quantitative whole-body imaging

 

Specialized MRI Capabilities

Additional resources include a custom low-field MRI laboratory for novel tracer and pulmonary imaging research, and a mock MRI system to acclimate participants and support pediatric and anxious populations.

 

Preclinical & Spectroscopy Systems

The Center maintains a comprehensive suite of small-bore MRI, MR/PET, and high-field spectroscopy instrumentation supporting translational research pipelines, including ultra-high-field MRI for rodents and advanced NMR/spectroscopy platforms for multi-nuclear and microimaging applications.

 

Neurotechnology & Human Research Toolkits

The Martinos Center offers an integrated set of neurotechnology facilities including:

  • A 306-channel MEG system with integrated EEG, advanced stimulus delivery, and robust analysis workflows

  • Emerging OPM-MEG capability enabling flexible sensor placement across diverse populations

  • A dedicated TMS laboratory with navigated stimulation and multimodal integration (EEG/fMRI/connectivity)

 

Chemistry, Radiochemistry & Biomedical Laboratories

On-site infrastructure supports radiotracer innovation and translational studies, including:

  • A self-shielded cyclotron

  • GMP-qualified radiochemistry production capabilities

  • Radiotracer development, analytical chemistry, and bioanalysis laboratories

  • Wet-lab resources including cell culture, microscopy, flow cytometry access, and animal surgery support

 

Engineering, Prototyping & Fabrication

The Center includes dedicated electronics, RF coil, and machine shop capabilities to support custom instrument development. In 2025, the Martinos Center opened a new 2,900 sq. ft. Maker Space to accelerate prototyping and interdisciplinary innovation, featuring 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC machining, and design support.

 

Computational Infrastructure

Martinos operates a scaled research computing environment with:

  • 4+ petabytes of storage across local and centralized systems

  • A modern HPC cluster with GPU-accelerated computing, high-speed networking, and robust scheduling infrastructure

  • Dedicated engineering and IT teams supporting secure storage, analysis, software development, and advanced image processing

  • A close partnership with MIT through an affiliated computational imaging center that bridges imaging science and AI