Personal
- Name
- Professor James Pope
- Position(s)
- Chief Investigator
Faculty of Health,
School - Optometry and Vision Science - Adjunct Professor
Science and Engineering Faculty,
Chemistry, Physics, Mechanical Engineering,
Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics - IHBI Member
Institute of Health Biomedical Innovation (IHBI),
IHBI Health Projects,
IHBI Optometry - Vision - Discipline *
- Other Physical Sciences
- Phone
- +61 7 3138 2325
- j.pope@qut.edu.au
- Location
- View location details (QUT staff and student access only)
- Qualifications
-
PhD (University of Sussex), MSc (University of Bristol), BSc (University of Bristol), BSc(Hons) (University of Bristol)
- Professional memberships
and associations - Fellow – Australian Institute of Physics
- Member – Australian Society for Biophysics
- Associate Member – Institute of Physics (UK)
Biography
Research theme: Biophysics
Research discipline: Physics
Research program: Medical Physics
Research areas
Development of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques for the study of cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis
We are developing novel MRI techniques for investigation and early diagnosis of osteoarthritis.
Interpretation of cartilage MRI data is complicated by the complexity of the tissue. We use MR micro-imaging to investigate the influence of anisotropy of the collagen scaffold on relaxation times (T1 and T2) and on self-diffusion of tissue water.
The aim is to develop diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and relaxometry techniques for assessment of structural integrity in cartilage.
Applications of MRI in Eye Research
In the human eye lens, light is refracted continuously as it passes through the lens, but until now it has not been possible to measure the refractive index distribution non-invasively.
We have developed novel MRI techniques for measuring the refractive index distribution in the lens and have used it to study how the properties of the lens change with age and state of accommodation.
The results provide optometrists with better models of lens aging and a better understanding of changes that occur in presbyopia.
Use of MRI in the assessment of osteoporosis
MRI techniques are being developed to assess the proportions of red (hematopoietic) and yellow (fatty) marrow in trabecular bone and also to monitor changes in bone density.
It is hypothesised that changes in the proportions of red and yellow marrow may be a precursor of bone density loss in osteoporosis and consequently may form the basis of a new non-invasive means of both diagnosing osteoporosis and monitoring response to therapy.
Areas of expertise
- Magnetic Resonance Micro-imaging
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
- Biophysics
Current grants
- Age-related changes in the optics of adult human eyes NH&MRC grant (with DA Atchison and G Smith)
- Magnetic resonance micro-imaging and infrared spectroscopic studies of cartilage degradation during development of osteoarthritis The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation grant (with R. Meder, K. Oloyede, E. Wentrup-Byrne and R. Crawford).
Selected research projects
- Application of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) to the study of cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis.
- Applications of MRI in Eye Research
Teaching
Teaching discipline: Physics
Teaching Areas
- Physics
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Publications
- Momot K, Pope JM, Wellard RM, (2010) Anisotropy of spin relaxation of water protons in cartilage and tendon, NMR in Biomedicine p313-324
- De Visser SK, Crawford RW, Pope JM, (2008) Structural adaptations in compressed articular cartilage measured by diffusion tensor imaging, Osteoarthritis and Cartilage p83-89
- Kasthurirangan S, Markwell EL, Atchison D, Pope JM, (2008) In vivo study of changes in refractive index distribution in the human crystalline lens with age and accommodation, Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science p2531-2540
- De Visser SK, Bowden JC, Wentrup-Byrne E, Rintoul L, Bostrom T, Pope JM, Momot K, (2008) Anisotropy of collagen fibre alignment in bovine cartilage: comparison of polarised light microscopy and spatially resolved diffusion-tensor measurements1, Osteoarthritis and Cartilage p689-697
- Jones CE, Atchison DA, Pope JM, (2007) Changes in Lens Dimensions and Refractive Index with Age and Accommodation, Optometry and Vision Science p990-995
- Meder RR, De Visser SK, Bowden JC, Bostrom T, Pope JM, (2006) Diffusion Tensor Imaging of Articular Cartilage As a Measure of Tissue Microstructure, Osteoarthritis and Cartilage p875-881
- Jones CE, Atchison D, Meder RR, Pope JM, (2005) Refractive Index Distribution and Optical Properties of the Isolated Human Lens Measured Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Vision Research p2352-2366
- Atchison D, Jones C, Schmid KL, Pritchard N, Pope JM, Strugnell W, Riley R, (2004) Eye Shape in Emmetropia and Myopia, Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science p3380-3386
- Jones C, Pope JM, (2004) Measuring Optical Properties of an Eye Lens Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Magnetic Resonance Imaging p211-220
- Moffat B, Pope JM, (2002) Anisotropic water transport in the human eye lens studied by diffusion tensor NMR micro-imaging, Experimental Eye Research p677-687
For more publications by this staff member, visit QUT ePrints, the University's research repository.
