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The Fitzpatrick Institute for Photonics (FIP)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008 ~ FCIEMAS Schiciano Auditorium B~ 4:15 – 5:15pm
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David Boas, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Harvard Medical School
Associate Physicist
Mass General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
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Multi-modal Optical and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Cerebral Oxygen Metabolism: Macroscopic to Microscopic
EEG, MEG, PET, and fMRI are important tools in the study of the functioning human brain, providing measures of electrical, metabolic, and vascular responses to brain activation. Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) is an optical method that images cerebral hemoglobin dynamics non-invasively in the adult human brain, particularly the total hemoglobin and oxygen saturation changes following brain activation. A greater understanding of the coupling between neuronal activity and vascular response is emerging from a multi-modal combination of these imaging methods in humans. Early efforts have focused on the relationship between neuronal activity and the vascular response, and have mostly ignored the metabolic responses as robust methods for measuring the metabolic responses are lacking. I will present our groups efforts to develop a robust method for imaging the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) with good spatial and temporal resolution through the fusion of fMRI and NIRS. Our method is providing precise estimates of CMRO2. To validate the accuracy of these macroscopic estimates in humans, we are utilizing two photon microscopy to measure and model oxygen delivery on a microscopic scale in rodents. I will present recent progress on this microscopic validation effort.
Dr. David A. Boas is an Associate Professor, at the Harvard Medical School and an Associate Physicist at Mass General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. He received his Bachelors Degree in Physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY in 1991 and then went on to receive his Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, also in Physics. His most recent positions include Conference Program Chair: OSA Advances in Biomedical Optics Miami Meeting (2002), Conference Program Chair, OSA Advances in Photon Migration Munich Meeting (2002) and General Chair, Organizer, OSA Topical Meeting in Biomedical Optics in Miami (2003). His Major Research Interests include the following: Photon migration in highly scattering media with emphasis on Diffuse Optical Tomography, Clinical applications of Diffuse Optical Tomography in brain and breast radiology and Fundamental studies of brain function and stroke using diffuse optical tomography and optical microscopy. His research plans for the next 5 to 10 years will focus on the development of photon migration methods to address specific physiological / scientific and clinical questions related to brain function and breast cancer.
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