Recommendations for Future Work on Metabolites

Abstract

Dr. Bing suggested that in this field the future lay with whole heart studies using nuclear magnetic resonance (NRM) (see paper by Dr. Noble). He thought studies of myocardial protection in ischaemia using this approach would be particularly important. Dr. Noble reported that magnets large enough for human work were being constructed, while Dr. Hoffman reported that he already had access to one large enough for dogs. Dr. Poole-Wilson asked what scientific questions could be answered with intact animals and humans. Dr. Noble thought that these had to be tackled in the isolated perfused heart initially, but that improvements in the experimental preparation had to be perfected. Drs. Noble and Poole-Wilson thought that dynamic studies of reversibly polarised energy rich phosphate (of either ATP or PCR) would be possible and of great importance. Dr. Julian thought that the NMR field should be expanded in the next few years. It was agreed that this was an important field which should now be supported by NATO, with a view to holding a meeting in about 2 years time to report progress.