Cancer is a top leading cause of deaths worldwide, among which pancreatic cancer and liver cancer are top leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Despite recent developments in cancer treatment, pancreatic and liver cancers still have a high mortality and low life expectancy, especially when diagnosed at advanced stages. Earlier cancer...
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in US and non-invasive cardiac imaging has vital importance for early detection and diagnosis of heart disease. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) is arguably the most versatile imaging modality and capable of a comprehensive evaluation of heart disease without ionization radiation. Despite the...
Found in 1-2% of the population, bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital cardiovascular disease and is associated with increased risk of aortic valve dysfunction and aortic disease. Current treatment is focused on surgical intervention either after the development of symptomatic aortic stenosis/regurgitation or aortic diameter thresholds. However,...
The mechanism underlying chronic pain and disability in those with chronic whiplash associated disorders (WAD) is poorly understood. Of the four million people who will seek medical care each year for neck injuries sustained during a motor vehicle collision (MVC), a quarter will develop chronic moderate to severe WAD. Disparate...
4D Flow MRI is a phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging method that enables direct measurement of velocities in three orthogonal directions throughout the heartbeat. This permits direct quantification of hemodynamic parameters, including flow, mean velocity, peak velocity, and pulsatility, for individual cerebral vessels. Despite ongoing research into neurovascular applications of 4D...
Brain network organization, the emergence of cognition, and the accumulation of neurodegenerative pathology are interwoven concepts frequently studied under the umbrella of behavioral neurology, neuropsychiatry, neuropsychology, and neuropathology. One approach to studying the organization of cognitive processes is to study those with selective deficits in such networks. To understand how...
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, and associated with increased risk for ischemic stroke and mortality. While the risk of stroke has been shown to be reduced with the use of oral anticoagulants like Warfarin, these medications are predictably linked with an increased risk of bleeding, and...
Chromatin, a complex nuclear structure comprised of DNA, histones, RNA, and other nuclear proteins, is one of the most critical components within the cell because it houses the genetic information and its organization regulates important cellular functions, such as transcription, replication, and repair. Its structural organization is well understood at...
The brain is known to shrink in normal aging or neurodegenerative disease and yet the neurobiological underpinnings of the cortical atrophy remain elusive. The structural changes that represent cortical atrophy can be measured during life using the reliable and quantitative method known as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Primary progressive aphasia...
Cancer progression is a complex process, leading to metastatic spread of primary tumor cells that colonize distant vital organs and mortality if not stopped. Since clinical strategies to stem this progression are still being developed, it is of great importance to detect this end stage metastatic spread as early as...