University of Sydney partners with Siemens Healthineers on $9 M MRI research capability
September 13, 2025 | Saturday | News
To unlock unprecedented medical imaging capabilities for researchers, clinicians and industry
Australia’s University of Sydney has unveiled a $9 million partnership with Siemens Healthineers centred on the opening of the state’s most advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner.
Developed through a strategic research partnership between the University and Siemens Healthineers, the Cima.X 3T MRI Clinical Research Facility delivers imaging capabilities not previously available in NSW, strengthening the state’s capacity for advanced medical research and clinical translation.
Chancellor David Thodey AO said the MRI scanner in the new Sydney Imaging facility is the most powerful clinically approved whole-body MRI scanner in the world.
The new Cima.X MRI scanner forms part of an integrated imaging suite located alongside the University’s Hybrid Theatre, a research-dedicated surgical operating theatre equipped with advanced imaging technologies at the Charles Perkins Centre.
The new 3T MRI scanner features powerful gradient technology, enabling faster, sharper, and more detailed imaging. This allows researchers to map the brain in fine detail, detect disease markers earlier, and study heart and musculoskeletal conditions with unprecedented clarity.
Researchers will be able to use the facility for studies ranging from mapping brain pathways in dementia and multiple sclerosis, to testing new therapies for depression and anxiety, to improving diagnosis of heart disease and sports injuries.
It will also support cancer research by enabling earlier tumour detection and real-time tracking of treatment response, alongside the development of new surgical tools and robotic systems guided by MRI.