University of California San Diego School of Medicine to investigate advanced magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI ) protocols and techniques for female-specific diseases and conditions of the pelvis and develop comprehensive educational materials for clinicians . The goal of the project is to elevate women ’ s pelvic health , filling an important gap in medical research and care . Its results have the potential to enable clinicians to make more informed decisions , diagnose diseases and conditions faster and provide increased access to quality pelvic care for women .

The Center for Translational Imaging and Precision Medicine ( CTIPM ) at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine will be the collaborating site to conduct the project . The project will be led by Rebecca Rakow-Penner , MD , PhD , Associate Professor of Radiology and Bioengineering at UC San Diego and Deputy Director for CTIPM .

The project encompasses a wide spectrum of diseases of the female pelvis , including better visualisation of endometriosis and ovarian cancer using MRI techniques in both clinical and academic research settings .

Pelvic diseases and conditions in female patients are often understudied , misdiagnosed and ineffectively treated , which can be debilitating for women and cause substantial economic burden for healthcare systems , hospitals and patients . In the US , pelvic pain accounts for an estimated 20 % of all outpatient appointments in secondary care for female patients and an estimated US $ 882 million in outpatient management expenses .

Thomas Schinecker , CEO of the Roche Group , said : “ The new pRED Center will play an integral role in collaborating with our research centres across the globe , aiming to boost the effectiveness and efficiency of our R & D , and to deliver the greatest impact for patients .”

Research and Early Development ( pRED ) Centre at its global headquarters in Basel , Switzerland . Equipped with cutting-edge technologies and housing around 1,000 state-of-the-art laboratory and office workplaces , the new centre brings together teams of scientists and researchers to accelerate scientific discoveries for patients .

The new pRED Center consists of two high-rise laboratory buildings ( 114m , 72m ), with cutting-edge lab technologies and digital solutions , alongside an office building and a convention centre ( 26m , 18m ). In total , there are 33 combined laboratories and office floors with 150 labs and workplaces for around 1,800 researchers . The state-ofthe-art buildings have been deliberately designed to foster

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