Prof. Yu-Chien Wu - CMIC/WEISS Joint Seminar Series

Invited Speaker:  Prof. Yu-Chien Wu - Indiana University School of Medicine

Title:  Diffusion MRI Applications in Neuroimaging  

Abstract: 

In 1985, diffusion MRI was introduced. Over the years, this method has continuously evolved. It begins with single-direction exponential decay and progresses to multi-directional diffusion tensor imaging, multi-shell imaging, and so on. This presentation will cover my experience in diffusion MRI applications to Alzheimer’s disease, mild traumatic brain injury, and sport-related concussion. I will also demonstrate our recent explorations in animal 

Bio:  

After studying physics at National Taiwan University with the Samuel Ting scholarship, Dr. Wu entered Kaohsiung Medical School and received an MD degree and license in Taiwan in 2000. Integrating her knowledge in both disciplines, she earned a PhD in Medical Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2006. Dr. Wu has many years’ experience in medical imaging research. While her medical physics background covers a wide range of imaging instruments, she is an MRI physicist by training and received board certification in 2016. She leads the In-Vivo Imaging Core at the Indiana University School of Medicine. The imaging core is equipped with research-dedicated clinical 3T MRI scanners and PET-CT scanners, as well as a 9.4T PET-MRI scanner for preclinical imaging. Serving in this capacity, Dr. Wu oversees the daily operation of the Imaging Core and facilitates scientific activities in clinical and preclinical research. The research focus of her own laboratory is to apply innovative MRI neuroimaging technologies for elucidating disease mechanisms, facilitating early diagnoses, and identifying optimal treatments. With a primary focus on diffusion imaging, her research interests also cover functional MRI, structural MRI, and spectroscopy. She is the principal investigator of an NIA-funded R01 project in Alzheimer’s disease, an NINDS-funded R01 on sport-related concussion, and a previously NINDS-funded R21 project studying novel neuroimaging biomarkers for mild traumatic brain injury. Because of her training and background, she is also part of several nationwide multicenter studies, including the CARE consortium on sports-related brain injury, the human connectome project (HCP) on psychosis, and a clinical trial of the Memory Improvement through Nicotine Dosing (MIND) Study. Her research activities have been summarized in more than 64 peer-reviewed papers and numerous conference abstracts.

Chair: Gary Zhang