Engineering plays a key role in the success of the Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping (CFMM). A necessary requirement for both the fMRI studies and the contrast agent studies is to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and/or the speed of acquisition beyond that afforded by the 3T, 7T and 9.4T scanners.  Several ways of achieving this is novel design of RF coils and gradient coils.