Department: Radiology

Developing strategies to localize chronic pain generators using molecular and functional imaging methods. Pre-clinical testing of novel long-acting analgesics using both imaging and non-imaging behavioral analyses.

Developing interventional techniques in MR image guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) ablation using PRF thermometry monitoring for applications in brain treatments and breast cancer. Photoacoustic imaging of microvasculature.

Noninvasive oxygenation measurement with MRI MRI relaxometry Numerical simulation 19F MRI

The Hedgehog signaling pathway, which is conserved from flies to humans, is essential for the patterning of many tissues and proper development of organ systems. Constitutive activation of the pathway can lead to cancers, such as medulloblastoma and basal cell carcinoma, for which therapies that inhibit Hedgehog signaling have been developed. Though many signaling elements of the pathway have been identified, a complete mechanistic understanding of how the Sonic hedgehog ligand induces expres..

Transplant immunology, stem cell immunobiology, and development of animal models to study the human immune system in vivo.

My research focuses on using advanced machine learning methods to integrate molecular data of cancer patients. These data sources are often called omics such genomics, transcriptomics or proteomics. In addition, currently I'm also investigating strategies to couple these omics data sources with MRI imaging data.

My research focuses on the development of molecular imaging agents that will reduce the limits of tumor detection to allow for the early detection of cancer at a curable stage. In particular, we are investigating novel protein scaffolds integrated with both traditional and emerging imaging modalities.

Evaluation of novel PET detectors based on semiconductor photodetectors, Design and development of hardware for MR compatible PET system, Image correction methods for PET images.

My research is focused on developing and evaluating molecular imaging agents for visualizing neurological diseases in living subjects.

Developing multi-modality molecular imaging techniques/strategies for early detection of cancer/disease in general,prostate cancer imaging,theranostics using molecular nanosensors

FDG-PET Translational Research Molecular imaging Drug Metabolism & Distribution Transporters Drug-drug interaction Genetic polymorphism Ligand docking

I'm interested in start-ups and commercialization of innovations. My domain includes imaging hardware, nanoparticle optimization, MR relaxation physics, integrated circuit design, stem cells, animal disease models.

1) Monitoring of Stem Cell Engraftment in Arthritic Joints with MR Imaging, NIH/NIAMS R01AR054458 2) Identification of effective homing factors of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cell in cartilage defect. 3) Imaging of Transplanted Bone Marrow Derived Stem Cells (BMSCs) by MRI in Chondral Defect. A large animal study. 4) Quantitative and qualitative assessment of autologous mesenchymal stem cell graft repair of articular cartilage in the knee.

Development of novel gene expression systems for potent, tumor-specific gene therapy of cancer, and to link therapeutic gene expression with imaging reporter gene expression in order to longitudinally track treatment efficacy in living subjects using bioluminescence imaging and positron emission tomography. Emphasis has also been on labeling therapeutic cells with imaging probes or reporter genes to track the fate of these cells in both small animal models and human subjects.

Technology of High Resolution Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Mammography (PEM)

My research interests are concerned with signal processing for molecular imaging. Current applications I am working on include Raman spectroscopy and photoacoustic tomography.

I am interested in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) physics, instrumentation, and its application in cancer diagnosis and patient management. My work focusses on PET front-end detectors, data acquisition, and system simulation. The goal is to improve spatial and energy resolution yielding a better image quality. Currently I am working on constructing, commissioning, and characterizing a high precision, 1 mm^3 resolution breast specific PET camera.

Fluorescence probe for beta-lactamase

Biomedical Engineering and Nanotechnology with a focus on Raman Spectroscopy and Early Cancer Detection