Peter J. Niedbalski, Ph.D.

Professional Background

Dr. Peter Niedbalski is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center. During the course of his career, Dr. Niedbalski has transitioned from basic-science research in physical chemistry to translational magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Dr. Niedbalski received his Ph.D. in Physics from The University of Texas at Dallas, where he researched mechanisms of ¹³C dynamic nuclear polarization. From there, he completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Center for Pulmonary Imaging Research at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. During this post-doc, he developed new methods of quantifying lung structure and function using hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe MRI. Building on this work, he came to the University of Kansas Medical Center to begin a hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe MRI research program.

• BS, Physics/Mathematics, Benedictine College, Atchison, KS
• MS, Physics, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX
• PhD, Physics, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX
• Post Doctoral Fellowship, Pulmonary Imaging, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

• American Thoracic Society, Respiratory Structure and Function Programming Committee, Chair Elect, 2025 - 2026
• International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Pulmonary MR Study Group, President, 2025 - 2026
• International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Pulmonary MR Study Group, Vice President, 2024 - 2025
• International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Hyperpolarized Media Study Group, Secretary, 2023 - 2024
• American Thoracic Society, PhD and Basic Scientist Working Group, Member, 2022 - 2023
• American Heart Association, Member, 2021 - 2025
• American Thoracic Society, Respiratory Structure and Function Programming Committee, Member, 2021 - 2022

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Research

Overview

I am a Research Assistant Professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine. My research is centered on pulmonary MRI using hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe. Xenon is an inert gas that can be made visible to MRI using a process known as hyperpolarization. Once hyperpolarized, xenon can be inhaled and imaged, providing images of regional pulmonary function. Specifically, ¹²⁹Xe MRI can be used to quantify ventilation, pulmonary microstructure dimensions, and pulmonary gas exchange non-invasively and with no ionizing radiation.

I am interested both in the development of new imaging methods and in using current methods for the characterization and monitoring of pulmonary disease. In particular, I am interested in developing imaging and analysis methods than can provide improved quantitative biomarkers of pulmonary function. These biomarkers can then be used to better understand the pathophysiology, progression, and treatment of diseases including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and many others.

• Niedbalski Peter J, Bier Elianna A, Wang Ziyi, Willmering Matthew M, Driehuys Bastiaan, Cleveland Zackary I. 2020. Mapping cardiopulmonary dynamics within the microvasculature of the lungs using dissolved Xe-129 MRI. JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY, 129 (2), 218-229
• Niedbalski Peter J, Willmering Matthew M, Robertson Scott H, Freeman Matthew S, Loew Wolfgang, Giaquinto Randy O, Ireland Christopher, Pratt Ronald G, Dumoulin Charles L, Woods Jason C, Cleveland Zackary I. 2019. Mapping and correcting hyperpolarized magnetization decay with radial keyhole imaging. MAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE, 82 (1), 367-376
• Niedbalski Peter J, Cochran Alexander S, Akinyi Teckla G, Thomen Robert P, Fugate Elizabeth M, Lindquist Diana M, Pratt Ronald G, Cleveland Zackary I. 2020. Preclinical hyperpolarized Xe-129 MRI: ventilation and T-2* mapping in mouse lungs at 7 T using multi-echo flyback UTE. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE, 33 (7), e4302
• Niedbalski Peter, Kiswandhi Andhika, Parish Christopher, Wang Qing, Khashami Fatemeh, Lumata Lloyd. 2018. NMR Spectroscopy Unchained: Attaining the Highest Signal Enhancements in Dissolution Dynamic Nuclear Polarization. The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, 9 (18), 5481-5489. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.8b01687