Contacts
Intranet
SK
Andrej Krafčík
National projects
| AgeFlex – Development and standardization of MR-based methods for detecting and evaluating metabolic and structural adaptations of aging muscles to exercise. | |
| Vývoj a štandardizácia MR metód založených na magnetickej rezonancii na detekciu a hodnotenie metabolických a štrukturálnych adaptácií starnúcich svalov na cvičenie. | |
| Program: | SRDA |
| Duration: | 1.9.2025 – 31.8.2029 |
| Project leader: | Mgr. Klepochová Radka, PhD. |
| Annotation: | Aging is associated with a loss of muscle mass and the functional capacity of skeletal muscles; however, regular exercise can slow down these processes. The focus of this project is on examining the metabolic, functional, and structural parameters in the lower limb muscles, which we can non-invasively and repeatedly measure using innovative magnetic resonance methods (MR). This allows us to compare the trajectories of aging in skeletal muscles of sedentary individuals and those who are physically active. One of the key parameters that define a muscle\’s ability to efficiently mobilize and use energy for muscle work is called metabolic flexibility. The aim of the project is to develop innovative MR methods to study metabolic flexibility and structural changes in skeletal muscles during aging, and relate them to whole-body metabolic flexibility, as well as the metabolic phenotype and structural and molecular changes in the skeletal muscles of older adults. As part of the project, we will standardize the measurement of dynamic changes in metabolites in muscle during exercise using proton (1H) MR spectroscopy, create standard procedures for quality control of acquired MR spectroscopy data, and a key aspect of the project will also be the development of an automated segmentation method based on a convolutional neural network, which will enable more efficient and reliable evaluation of MR images of skeletal muscles. These innovative methods will be validated using data from ongoing longitudinal studies at the Biomedical Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, and their results will be directly compared with parallel changes in metabolic health, functional capacity, histological structure, and molecular mediators of metabolic flexibility in skeletal muscles. The results may not only improve our understanding of the processes that define metabolic flexibility during aging but may also offer relevant strategies to support metabolically healthy aging. |
| The application of Artificial Intelligence methods for improved Magnetic Resonance Imaging | |
| Použitie metód umelej inteligencie na zlepšenie zobrazovania pomocou magnetickej rezonancie | |
| Program: | VEGA |
| Duration: | 1.1.2026 – 31.12.2028 |
| Project leader: | RNDr. Krafčík Andrej, PhD. |
| Annotation: | Magnetic Resonance (MR) is a widely used, useful diagnostic tool. However, since the measured signal isinfluenced by many factors (e.g., by the amount of biogenic contrast agents), quantitative analysis is difficult andlengthy. Therefore, the proposed project aims to model the influence of biogenic nanoparticles of ferritin on MRsignal and to use artificial intelligence for automated analysis (identification, segmentation and volumetry) ofstructures in MR images of joint, muscles and the heart. Advanced deep learning methods will be used for thesetasks. In addition, the project will focus on design and implementation of novel acquisition and calibrationsequences and protocols for metabolic and structural MR imaging. The project will also analyse the physiologicalresponse of MR measurements on cardiovascular system through wearable optical sensors. |
| ReAcMap – Assessment of restitution of normal ventricular activation by ECG mapping | |
| Vyhodnotenie reštitúcie normálnej komorovej aktivácie pomocou EKG mapovania | |
| Program: | SRDA |
| Duration: | 1.9.2025 – 31.8.2028 |
| Project leader: | Ing. Švehlíková Jana, PhD. |
| Annotation: | The project intends to optimize and personalize cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) for patients with heart failure. This effective, nonpharmacological, pacing-based treatment aims to restore interventricular resynchronization of ventricular activation by pacing both ventricles with an expected subsequent increase in cardiac output. However, about 30-40% of the patients do not benefit from the therapy and are designed as “non-responders”. To improve the efficacy of ventricular resynchronization, conduction system pacing (CSP) was recently introduced into clinical practice, which replaces biventricular stimulation with direct stimulation of the conduction system. However, CSP to achieve a narrow QRS complex is not feasible in up to 15% of patients for multiple anatomical, pathological, and technical reasons. Therefore, an optimal individualized strategy to achieve effective ventricular resynchronization is an unmet need in electrical therapies in heart failure patients. The proposed research project is methodologically based on noninvasive body surface potential ECG measurements of patients with heart failure indicated for a CRT/CSP device implantation. From the measured data, conducted using a dedicated in-house measuring device, the new parameters for the evaluation of the dynamics of the ventricular activation will be derived to set the proper programming stimulation of the device. A possible reduction of the number of ECG electrodes from the currently used 128 will also be studied to facilitate the routine clinical feasibility of the recording system. The simulations of the failing heart will be performed to understand better the processes that are undergoing in the ventricles. The area of the starting spontaneous ventricular activity will be assessed by solving the inverse problem of electrocardiography using a personalized heart-torso model obtained from the CT scan. The dedicated measuring system will implement a GUI to apply the suggested methods easily. |
| OrgPipeSK2025 – Research of the metal organ pipe collections of historical pipe organs in Slovakia | |
| Výskum kovového píšťalového fondu historických organov na Slovensku | |
| Program: | SRDA |
| Duration: | 1.9.2025 – 31.8.2028 |
| Project leader: | RNDr. Krafčík Andrej, PhD. |
| Annotation: | The sound-stylistic quality of historical organs is determined by various factors, including the material used for the organ pipes and the scaling (mensuration) of individual pipes and entire stops. The proposed project will examine organ metal as a key sound-stylistic determinant of historical organs, with consideration of the constructional evolution of organs in Slovakia from the 17th to the 20th century. The project will be conducted in four phases. The first phase will focus on the chemical composition analysis of organ pipe metal from selected instruments. These pipes and entire stops will undergo mensuration analysis, leading to the development of a mathematical model. The next phase will involve the visual recording (collection) of signings—etched or stamped markings indicating the specific tone for which a pipe is constructed. The signings of pipes from instruments with known builders will be documented to create a standard that will enable the use of neural networks (AI) to identify the authorship of organs whose builders are currently unknown. The research will also address the technical condition of organ metal, particularly corrosion, which affects not only the sound properties but also the preservation of the metal components of these historical instruments. The project\’s outcomes will include an online map of organ metal composition, corrosion, mensurations, an atlas of various types of corrosion and defects in organ pipes, as well as a comprehensive mapping of the metal and mensurations of studied stops. Furthermore, we will establish a method for gradually authorizing organs whose builders remain unidentified. All findings will be contextualized within the sound-stylistic development of historical organ building on Slovak territory. |
| MRCartilage – Automatic data evaluation tool from the longitudinal quantitative MRI studies of articular cartilage | |
| Automatický softvérový nástroj na výhodnocovanie kvantitatívnych MRI štúdií artikulárných chrupaviek v čase | |
| Program: | SRDA |
| Duration: | 1.7.2022 – 30.6.2026 |
| Project leader: | Ing. Dr. Szomolányi Pavol, (PhD.) |
| Annotation: | The aim of the project is to design a comprehensive tool for automatic evaluation of human articular cartilage data from quantitative MRI. Data obtained from the Osteoarthritis Initiative database, and measured at Institute of Measurement Science and Medical University of Vienna will be segmented using an automated segmentation tool based on convolutional neural networks. The annotated data will then be registered on quantitative MRI data that will be available from the database (T2 and T1rho mapping, gagCEST, sodium MR) using automated or semiautomated tools developed within this project. The data obtained will be evaluated at multiple time points according to MR measurements that will be available. In addition to quantitative MR data, this will include volumetric data, cartilage thickness, and texture analysis of quantitative maps. Patient evaluation will be based on risk factor groups (transverse ligament rupture, meniscus rupture and menisectomy). The expected number of patients is approximately 4000 divided into individual groups in the ratio 40/30/30. The output of the project will be a compiled version of an automatic cartilage evaluation tool that will be available in a public source (such as website of Institute of Measurement). |