In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in performing MRI at magnetic field strengths lower than those in wide clinical use. To enable NIST to extend their expertise in quantitative MRI into this exciting field, NIST entered into a collaborative R&D agreement with Hyperfine, Inc., a manufacturer of ultra-low-field head MRI systems. This partnership has provided NIST with their first imaging system designed for clinical use and enabled research in quantitative imaging, tissue mimic development, safety testing, and contrast agent development at ultra-low field. This partnership has given NIST access to our first human imaging system, and resulted in numerous posters, talks, and publications. This talk will highlight challenges and successes in managing an industry-government research collaboration including alignment of priorities between a national lab and a startup. The keys to the success of this partnership have been clear responsibilities, regular meetings, and an understanding of the objectives of each group.
