Press release summary
The EU-funded Q-AID project has installed its first two POLARIS preclinical quantum-enhanced MRI systems at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia in Barcelona and the University of Antwerp.
NVision Quantum Technologies coordinates the four-year project and supplies the systems. The two installations are the first of four planned sites in a network intended to share technology, workflows, data infrastructure, and operating standards. Later deployments at CEA NeuroSpin in France and Policlinico Gemelli in Italy are expected to extend the program toward clinical research.
The 8.3 million euro project also covers standardized calibration, software, AI-supported analysis, and a European supply chain for parahydrogen and sterile consumables. Research programs include cancer and neurological disease models, with an emphasis on metabolic imaging and treatment response.
Why it matters for laboratories
Multisite reproducibility is a central obstacle for translating hyperpolarized MRI beyond specialized centers. A common instrument platform and shared operating standards can help laboratories compare results across institutions and prepare methods for larger studies. The current systems are preclinical, however, and the network’s clinical value will depend on consistent imaging-agent production, quality controls, data harmonization, and prospective validation.
Original source: NVision Quantum Technologies release, Sept. 28, 2026.
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