Research of Dr. Felix Wehrli’s laboratory is aimed at quantitatively characterizing tissue microarchitecture and its relationship to physiology and function by means of spatially resolved nuclear magnetic resonance in animals and humans. The current focus of the laboratory is on the development of new methods for the quantitative assessment of metabolic bone disease by means of the MR-based "virtual bone biopsy", and new methods for the study of bone matrix and mineral micro- and nanostructure. A second line of research focuses the development of MRI-based methods for noninvasive measurement of blood oxygen saturation. Additional projects deal with ultrahigh-resolution microscopy of neuronal architecture in spinal cord injury models as well as methods for indirect assessment of tissue microstructure by means of diffusion diffraction and multiple quantum coherence imaging. More than 100 papers have been published by Dr. Felix Wehrli.

Felix W. Wehrli Ph.D., Professor of Radiologic Science, Biochemistry and Biophysics, Director of Laboratory for Structural NMR Imaging in the Department of Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania. He held several positions in industry, last as the Manager of MRI Applications at General Electric Medical Systems where he led the applications development for the first 1.5 Tesla MRI system, subsequently joining Penn in 1988 as a member of the faculty. He has a long track record of successful research in imaging of tissue architecture and function by magnetic resonance imaging at the micro- and nanostructural level. Of mention is his pioneering work that led to the MRI-based in vivo virtual bone biopsy and investigations of the ultrastructure of solid bone. Other research includes the study of neuronal architecture by q-space MR and the development of MRI-based methods for the noninvasive measurement of oxygen saturation in vessels. Dr. Wehrli had been Editor-in-Chief of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, the premier magnetic resonance imaging Journal from 1991-2004 and is now an Associate Editor of this Journal. He also holds positions on the Editorial Boards for Magnetic Resonance Engineering and the Journal of Magnetic Resonance and is a Fellow and Silver Medal recipient of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.