Projects

Outlier and anomaly detection with applications to CT radiation dose safety

We aim to develop rigorous and automated outlier detection procedures to identify CT scans with an abnormally high radiation exposure given the characteristics of the patient and the type of the exam. [link]
Trainee: Ruidi Chen (Systems Engineering)
BU Principal Investigator: Yannis Paschalidis (Systems Engineering)
BWH Principal Investigator:

Development of novel nanoparticle magnetic resonance bloodpool contrast agents

The goal of this project is to develop a lipid-based nanoparticle for use as an MRI contrast agent in the brain.
Trainee: Joanna Chiu (Biomedical Engineering)
BU Principal Investigator: Tyrone M. Porter (Mechanical & Biomedical Engineering)
BWH Principal Investigator: Srinivasan Mukundan (Radiology)

Analysis of MR spectroscopy for the study of mild traumatic brain injury in NFL football players and military subjects

The goal of our project is to develop robust Machine Learning technique for 2D Localized Correlated Spectroscopy (L-COSY) data processing. The existing data fitting and quantification system is error prone and requires a lot of human effort. Therefore automating the process will increase reliability and reproducibility. [link]
Trainee: Marcia Sahaya Louis (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
BU Principal Investigator: Ajay Joshi (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
BWH Principal Investigator: Alexander Lin (Radiology)

A novel contrast mechanism for functional brain imaging

Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) of the brain: This non-invasive technique provides opportunities via monitoring the mechanical properties of the brain for example in progression of a certain disease or reaction to medication in parallel to other imaging methods like conventional MRI.
Trainee: Navid Nazari (Biomedical Engineering)
BU Principal Investigator: Paul E. Barbone (Mechanical Engineering)
BWH Principal Investigator: Samuel Patz (Radiology)

Perfluorocarbon MRI contrast agent development for tracking immune cells

Developing MRI contrast agent for better tracking of immune cell and drug delivery to brain.
Trainee: Chenguang Peng (Biomedical Engineering)
BU Principal Investigator: Tyrone M. Porter (Biomedical Engineering)
BWH Principal Investigator: Nathan McDannold (Radiology)

Identification of cancer tissue with photothermal spectroscopy

The goal of this project is perform label-free characterization of ex-vivo tissue sections using mid-infrared photothermal spectroscopy and imaging. Mid-infrared photothermal spectroscopy can shed insight on the biochemical and molecular composition, leading to the ability to systematically distinguish between healthy and diseased tissue. Hyperspectral imaging combines spectral and spatial information, allowing for disease diagnosis based on biochemical structural and spatially localized morphology. [link]
Trainee: Atcha Totachawattana (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
BU Principal Investigator: Michelle Y. Sander (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
BWH Principal Investigator: Nathalie Y. R. Agar (Neurosurgery)

Explaining and exploiting frequency dependencies in elastography methods

Sanjay is working on ultrasound and MR-based elastography techniques and the related inverse problems. Applications include diagnosis of pathology and treatment monitoring in the liver, breast, prostate and a few other candidate organs. We are also evaluating potential applications of elastography in image-guided interventions. [link]
Trainee: Sanjay Yengul (Mechanical Engineering)
BU Principal Investigator: Paul E. Barbone (Mechanical Engineering)
BWH Principal Investigator: Bruno Madore (Radiology)