Graduate students
Ayman Abdelhakeem
Graduate Student
EDUCATION
Benha University in Cairo, Egypt, Electrical and Computer Engineering, BS
BIOGRAPHY
Ayman Abdelhakeem is a PhD student in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at Boston University, hailing from Benha University in Cairo, Egypt, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 2019. During his undergraduate years, Ayman’s passion for optical systems and design was ignited. Currently, under the guidance of Professors David Boas and Hui at Massachusetts General Hospital, he is pioneering the development of advanced optical microscopy systems, particularly the PS_OCT system. His groundbreaking work includes the design and construction of a revolutionary 3D PS_OCT system at MGH’s Martinos Center, promising to transform our understanding of brain tissues by enabling 3D visualization. Ayman’s dedication to innovative research spans the fields of optical engineering, and signal processing, positioning him as a rising star in academia and research.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Optical Microscopy system, Signal processing, Image processing.
Jessie Anderson
Graduate Student
EDUCATION
Western Kentucky University, Mechanical Engineering, BS
BIOGRAPHY
Jessie Anderson is a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering. She received her BS in Mechanical Engineering from Western Kentucky University in December 2017. Upon graduation, she joined Rice 360 Institute for Global Health where she performed lab and clinical research for BiliSpec, a point-of-care neonatal jaundice diagnostic tool that combines spectroscopy and lateral flow assay technology. She is now co-advised by Dr. David Boas and Dr. Muhammad Zaman; she aims to leverage functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy systems to detect biomarkers of mental disorders present among refugee populations to supplement clinical care.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Global Health, Neurophotonics, Near Infrared Spectroscopy, Mental Health, Biomedical Instrumentation
Danyal Bhutto
Graduate Student
EDUCATION
Education: University of Louisville, Bioengineering, BS
BIOGRAPHY
Danyal Bhutto is a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering. He received his BS in Bioengineering from the University of Louisville in 2018. In undergraduate, he worked with Dr. Ayman El-Baz developing computer-aided diagnostic tools for various diseases such as age-related macular degeneration. He also worked with Dr. Jonathan Kopechek to create double emulsion droplets to study drug delivery in Human cardiac cells. After graduating, he joined Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and worked as an algorithm developer for a year. His area of research is the application of deep learning to improve neuroimaging reconstruction techniques. He is co-advised by Dr. David Boas and Dr. Matthew Rosen at the Martinos Imaging Center at Massachusetts General Hospital.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Deep Learning, MRI imaging, human cognition and intelligence.
Laura Carlton
Graduate Student
EDUCATION
McGill University, Bioengineering, BEng
BIOGRAPHY
Laura is a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering. She received her BEng in Bioengineering from McGill University in 2022. During her undergraduate studies, Laura worked with Dr. Georgios Mitsis to model physiological fluctuations in resting state fMRI and Dr. Robert Kearney on the automatic detection of sleep apnea in premature infants. In the BOAS lab she will work on the advancement of wearable functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy systems.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, neuroscience, signal processing
Tom Cheng
Graduate Student
EDUCATION
Columbia University, Electrical Engineering, MS
Dartmouth College, Engineering Sciences, BE/BA
BIOGRAPHY
Tom is a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering. Prior to entering Boston University, he led the design of readout integrated circuits for single-photon avalanche diode imagers at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. He currently works in the BOAS lab and the Optics group at MGH Martinos Center on developing noninvasive optical technologies for measuring cerebral blood flow. He is supported by the MIT Lincoln Scholars program.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Near-infrared spectroscopy, diffuse correlation spectroscopy, speckle contrast optical spectroscopy, biomedical instrumentation
Sudan Duwadi
Graduate Student
EDUCATION
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Biomedical Engineering, BS
BIOGRAPHY
Sudan Duwadi is a PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering. He earned his BS in Biomedical Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. During his undergraduate studies, he worked under Dr. Antje Ihlefeld on auditory neuroscience projects that spanned electrophysiology, animal behavior, and computation. He also worked with Dr. Todd Mowery at Rutgers University, focusing on animal behavior, histology, and brain circuits for hearing and learning.
Currently, for his Ph.D., he is decoding attended spatial locations (audio-visual complex scene analysis) using machine learning techniques on combined fNIRS+ EEG and eye tracking data. He is co-advised by Dr. David Boas and Dr. Kamal Sen. His goal is to advance wearable fNIRS technology at the Boas Lab and utilize it to aid in restoring naturalistic hearing for the hearing-impaired population at the Sen Lab using fNIRS+EEG BCI.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Near-infrared spectroscopy and biomedical instrumentation
Mackenzie Hyman
Graduate Student
EDUCATION
University of Rochester, Electrical and Computer Engineering, BS
BIOGRAPHY
Mack is a PhD candidate in biomedical engineering. After graduating in 2015, he worked on a range of aerospace, defense, and biomedical projects at Draper Laboratory as a member of the technical staff. He joined the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging in 2019 with the intention of launching a career in biomedical research. He now investigates vascular pathologies in neurodegenerative disorders under the co-advisement of Dr. David Boas and Dr. Hui Wang.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Biomedical optics, image processing, vascular pathologies.
Shannon Kelley
Graduate Student
EDUCATION
FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, BS
BIOGRAPHY
Shannon Kelley is a PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering. She received her BS in Biomedical Engineering with a focus in Image and Signal Processing at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering in May 2022. She worked with Dr. Jamel Ali as an undergraduate student researching nanoparticle synthesis for intravital drug delivery and microplastic degradation. During her undergraduate career, she found a passion for studying neurodegenerative diseases using advanced imaging techniques. She now works with Dr. David Boas studying the underlying hemodynamics and mechanisms of ischemic strokes as well as functional recovery post stroke.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Brain-computer interface, signal processing, biomedical instrumentation
Byungchan Kim (Kenny)
Graduate Student
EDUCATION
Washington University, Biomedical Engineering, BS
BIOGRAPHY
Kenny Kim is a MD/PhD student studying Biomedical Engineering at Boston University. He earned his BS in Biomedical Engineering from Washington University in 2017. Kenny has investigated different modes of brain-computer interfaces. He developed with Dr. Eric Leuthardt visual attention based invasive brain-computer interface incorporating ECoG arrays, and has found several neurological correlates measurable in several non-invasive methods such as EEG. Kenny has also delved into the possibilities of optical methods while working with Dr. Adam Bauer to create a generalizable software package for mouse optical intrinsic signal imaging (fcOIS). Now, he is working on a fNIRS project in the BOAS lab to improve usability and capabilities of the system. Kenny is interested in expanding its use case for medical applications including point-of-care testing and brain-computer interface.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Brain-computer interface, neurophotonics, signal processing, biomedical instrumentation
Bingxue Liu
Graduate Student
EDUCATION
Beihang University, Technology and Apparatus of Measuring and Control, BS
BIOGRAPHY
Bingxue Liu is a PhD student in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Boston University. She received her BS in Technology and Apparatus of Measuring and Control from Beihang University in June 2019. In undergraduate, she worked with Professor Jianguo Ma in Beihang University designing a fiber-tip Fabry-Perot interferometry for ultrasound sensing and with Professor Sridhar Krishnaswamy in Northwestern University implementing a polymer waveguide for ultrasound detecting. Now she is working on multispectral photoacoustic tomography (mPAT) project in BOAS’s lab and will integrate mPAT with functional ultrasound imaging technologies to study oxygen delivery and consumption of mice brain.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Photoacoustic tomography, functional ultrasound imaging, image reconstruction, neuroscience
Anna Novoseltseva
Graduate Student
EDUCATION
Tomsk Polytechnic University, Biotechnical Systems and Technologies, BS
BIOGRAPHY
Anna Novoseltseva is a dedicated PhD student in Biomedical Engineering, driven by her passion for advancing medical technologies. With a background in Biotechnical Systems and Technologies, she developed a device for hematoma detection during her undergraduate studies. Later, she received a Fulbright grant to pursue a Master’s program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where she focused on developing a force-feedback device for the da Vinci surgical system. Anna’s industry experience involved working on surgical laser products in research, development, and manufacturing. Currently, under the co-advisement of Dr. David Boas and Dr. Irving Bigio, she investigates myelin degradation in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, using advanced imaging techniques such as polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography and birefringence microscopy.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Myelin, Alzheimer’s Disease, Chronic Traumatic encephalopathy, Neurophotonics, Polarization-Sensitive Optical Coherence Tomography, Birefringence Microscopy, Biomedical Instrumentation
Joe O’Brian
Graduate Student
EDUCATION
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Biomedical Engineering, BS
Boston University, Biomedical Engineering, MS
BIOGRAPHY
Joe O’Brien is a PhD candidate in Electrical and Computing Engineering. He received a BS in Biomedical Engineering from UNC Chapel Hill and NC State University through dual enrolment. He also received an MS in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University working for Dr. Lee Goldstein researching the effects of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and its development in a mouse model. Joe will now be helping to develop wearable, functional near infrared spectroscopy systems.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Near Infrared Spectroscopy, Neurotrauma.
Nikola Otic
Graduate Student
EDUCATION
University of South Florida, Electrical Engineering, BS
BIOGRAPHY
Nikola Otic is a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. He received his BS on Electrical Engineering from USF in May 2019. In undergraduate, he worked with Dr. Ashwin Parthasarathy on Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy (DCS) and Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy. In the BOAS laboratory he will continue to work on DCS and functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) systems.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy, fNIRS, Biomedical Instrumentation.
De’Ja Rogers
Graduate Student
EDUCATION
Norfolk State University, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, BS
BIOGRAPHY
De’Ja Rogers is a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering. She received her BS in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Norfolk State University (NSU) in May 2019. As an undergraduate student, she worked with Dr. Hargsoon Yoon on developing brain computer interface (BCI) technology for amputee and social disorder treatment, as well as optimizing the technology for recreational applications. Now, she is advised by Dr. David Boas and will be working on functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy systems.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Neurophotonics, Brain-Machine Interfaces (BCI), Noninvasive Imaging, Instrumentation, Neurodegenerative Diseases and Brain Injuries
Matthew Simkulet
Graduate Student
EDUCATION
University at Buffalo, Biomedical Engineering, BS
BIOGRAPHY
Matt is a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering. He received his BS in Biomedical Engineering from the University at Buffalo in 2022. There, he worked under Dr. Rita Alevriadou, imaging intracellular calcium dynamics in vascular cells under flow. In the BOAS lab, and under Dr. Tim O’Shea, he is using intravital microscopy tools to evaluate the performance of cell and biomaterial therapies in models of acute brain injury.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Two-photon microscopy, Optical coherence tomography, Biomaterials, Stem cells, Stroke
Rockwell Tang Graduate Student
EDUCATION
Boston University, Biomedical Engineering, BS
BIOGRAPHY
Rocky Tang is a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering. He completed his BS in Biomedical Engineering in 2022 also at BU, during which he worked in Prof. Xue Han’s lab on imaging and computational modeling of ultrasound neuromodulation. He is now advised by Prof. David Boas on investigating potential treatments and mechanisms of recovery from ischemic stroke.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Ischemic stroke, neurovascular coupling, optical microscopy, computational modeling and machine learning