Five members of the joint department’s core faculty actively pursue research in biomedical imaging to enhance patient diagnostics, to facilitate research with small animal models of disease, and to expand knowledge of disease mechanisms. Dr. Caterina Gallippi leads the ultrasonic imaging laboratory, which develops novel technologies for enhanced disease detection and mapping of complex disease pathways via diagnostic ultrasound. Dr. Paul Dayton directs the ultrasound contrast and therapeutics laboratory, where new contrast agents and drug delivery vehicles are designed for targeted imaging and therapy of disease. Dr. David Lalush and collaborators head the Laboratory for Emerging Imaging Technologies. This group studies novel in vivo tomographic imaging techniques using gamma-ray, X-ray, and optical imaging modalities to develop instruments and software for molecular, functional, and anatomic imaging for humans and research animals. Dr. Weili Lin focuses his research efforts on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain, including functional MR for brain activity mapping, perfusion MR for monitoring cerebral ischemia and tumor angiogenesis, and MR imaging to measure brain oxygen saturation and water content. Dr. Hatice Ozturk is developing new approaches to biomedical imaging reconstruction.

In addition to core faculty members, faculty members affiliated with the joint department are also developing novel medical imaging technologies. For example, Dr. Edward Chaney develops automatic image segmentation methods for image-guided radiotherapy treatment planning and delivery. Dr. Henry Fuchs advancesaugmented visualization for surgical assistance using 3D display methods. Dr. Robin Gardner leads the Center for Engineering Applications of Radioisotopes, in which optimum design and use of short-lived radioisotope tracers for computed tomography devices are being created. Dr. Etta Pisano’s breast imaging laboratory develops and tests novel technologies to detect breast cancer and to diagnose breast problems. The group further assesses the effects of these technologies on cost and quality of life. Dr. Pisano also leads the Biomedical Research Imaging Center (BRIC). The mission of the BRIC is to develop new imaging technologies and to provide imaging services to other researchers. Dr. Wesley Snyder engineers novel image noise reduction techniques employing maximum a-posteriori (MAP) methods. More information about these and other biomedical imaging research projects is available on faculty biography pages.