William (Bill) Brooks, Ph.D., Director
Professor,
Department of Neurology
913-588-9075, wbrooks@kumc.edu
Biosketch (PDF)
Dr Brooks was awarded his Ph.D. by Griffith University in Australia.
His research work focused on technique development in MR spectroscopy
with a specific focus on biological systems. He built on this
in post-doctoral work during which he designed and patented one
of the first techniques for spatially localized spectroscopy
to be employed in humans. In 1991, he joined the Center for Non-Invasive
Diagnosis (now MIND Imaging Center) at the University of New
Mexico and spent the next decade applying MR imaging and spectroscopy
to the study of injury and disease. These studies have shown
that biological markers of brain metabolism can predict cognitive
function in both normal brain function and in disease. Dr Brooks’ specific
research interests include normal function and recovery from
traumatic brain injury. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed
journal articles, 3 patents, and is currently funded to study
traumatic brain injury.
Robin Aupperle, M.A., Graduate Research Assistant
913-588-9070, raupperle@kumc.edu
Robin received her B.A. in Psychology from Oklahoma State University
in 2002 and her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from the University
of Kansas in 2005. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical
Psychology at the University of Kansas. She is serving as a Research
Assistant at the Hoglund Brain Imaging Center, conducting neuropsychological
testing and aiding in MRI data analysis. She is additionally
conducting her doctoral dissertation at Hoglund Brain Imaging
Center. This project is examining the effects of acute D-Cycloserine
administration on brain activation patterns of spider phobia
patients and healthy controls. Robin hopes to focus her future
research career on the neuropsychological aspects of anxiety
and anxiety treatment.
Lori Blanck, R.EEG/EP T., MEG Lab Manager
913-588-3140, lblanck@kumc.edu
Lori Blanck earned her certificate in Electroneurodiagnostic
Technology from Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, CA in 1984.
She has over 20 years experience in EEG, Evoked Potentials and
Intraoperative Monitoring as well as research investigations
involving visual development in pre-term and term infants. She
worked as a technologist at Children's Hospital, Los Angeles
before moving to the Kansas City area where she worked at The
Children's Mercy Hospital, Neurophysiology Laboratory and then the
Vision Science Laboratory in 1990. Lori joined the Hoglund Brain
Imaging Center in 2003 as MEG Laboratory Manager and oversees research
involving nutrition and infant visual development,
fetal magnetocardiology and cortical MEG/EEG studies.
Angela Bodling, Graduate Research Assistant
913-588-0173, abodling@kumc.edu
Angie received her B.A. in Psychology and B.S. in Biology from
Drake University in 2004. She is pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical
Psychology at the University of Kansas and is serving as a Research
Assistant at the Hoglund Brain Imaging Center. Angie's research
interests currently include the relationships between neuroanatomy
and physiology with psychological assessment and therapeutic
intervention for neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Amy Brown – Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor
Department of Neurology
913-649-8820, abrown5@kumc.edu
Biosketch (PDF)
Dr. Brown received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the
University of Georgia, where she specialized in child psychology
and the study and treatment of anxiety disorders. She completed
an APA accredited internship in Clinical Psychology at SUNY Upstate
Medical University and an APA accredited postdoctoral fellowship
in Clinical Child Psychology at Mayo Clinic. She has served as
an Assistant Professor in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
She has extensive clinical training in cognitive-behavioral treatments
(CBT) for anxiety across all age groups, including intensive
exposure/response prevention protocols for severe anxiety disorders,
and experience training other professionals in these techniques.
Dr. Brown has published several research articles on childhood
anxiety and presents at state and national organizations. Her
research interests and peer-reviewed publications have focused
on the role of the family environment in anxiety disorders, the
importance of emotion regulation to children’s psychological
health, and improvements in the delivery of treatment protocols
for children and families affected by anxiety. Dr. Brown offers
clinical services for children and adults through the Kansas
City Center for Anxiety Treatment, P.A., a research and educational
affiliate of HBIC/KUMC (www.kcanxiety.com).
Amanda Bruce, Ph.D., Post Doctoral Fellow
913-588-9077, abruce@kumc.edu
Dr. Bruce received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The
Pennsylvania State University after completing an APA accredited
internship in Clinical Psychology at the Boston VA Healthcare
System. Her research in graduate school focused on the
relationship between cognition, dissociation, and executive functioning. Currently,
Dr. Bruce is working to develop a programmatic line of research
related to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and obesity. Clinically,
Dr. Bruce has experience with psychoeducational and cognitive-behavioral
interventions in a wide variety of patient populations (i.e.
obstructive sleep apnea, psychotic disorders, mood disorders,
anxiety disorders). She is currently pursuing licensure
as a clinical psychologist and gaining clinical experience through
the Healthy Hawks Clinic, which provides group interventions
for obese/overweight children and their families.
Rebecca Chambers, M.A., Research Assistant
913-588-0287, rchambers@kumc.edu
Biosketch (PDF)
Rebecca was awarded her M.A. in Psychology of Music in 2004 from
the University of Sheffield in Sheffield, England. She is an
fMRI Research Assistant and Study Coordinator at Hoglund Brain
Imaging Center, and is pursuing her M.M. in Piano Performance
at the University of Missouri - Kansas City Conservatory of Music.
In addition to performing, she hopes to study the therapeutic
effects of music on depression and other mood disorders.
In-Young Choi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Department of Neurology
913-588-0174, ichoi@kumc.edu
Dr. Choi received her Ph.D. in Biophysics at the University of
Minnesota. After her postdoctoral training at the Center for
Magnetic Resonance Research at the University of Minnesota, she
continued her research in the Department of Medical Physics at
the Nathan Kline Institute as a senior research scientist and
also served as a Section Leader for MR Spectroscopy at the Center
for Advanced Brain Imaging. Dr. Choi’s research focuses
largely on in vivo brain energy metabolism using noninvasive
neuroimaging techniques. The primary focus of Dr. Choi’s
current research is development of novel magnetic resonance techniques
to provide quantitative mapping of regional distribution of neurotransmitters
and antioxidants in the brain and its application to clinical
research to understand the role of oxidative stress in aging,
neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Carmen Cirstea, M.D., Ph.D., Research Assistant
Professor
913-588-4373, ccirstea@kumc.edu
Biosketch (PDF)
Dr. Cirstea received her initial training in medicine at the
Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest,
Romania, in 1993. She continued her studies at the Centre de
Recherche en Sciences Neurologiques, Université de Montréal,
Canada, and received her M.Sc. in 1999 (first 15%) and her Ph.D.
Degree in 2004. During Dr. Cirstea’s Ph.D. study, she was
invited to present her results at multiple Universities, such
as Université de Caen, Université René Descartes
Paris V, and Université de Bruxelles. Her doctoral dissertation
was to elucidate the role of a systematic repetitive practice
in re-learning of motor skills following stroke as well as to
identify which type of training approach is more beneficial for “true” motor
recovery. Dr. Cirstea joined the University of Kansas Medical
Center in 2004 as a post doctoral fellow and was later appointed
Research Assistant Professor in 2006 in the School of Allied
Health – Physical Therapy and Rehabilitative Sciences department.
Dr. Cirstea’s interests are to understand the mechanisms
underlying plasticity of function in humans and its functional
relevance. Based on this understanding, new interventional approaches
might be developed to enhance them when they play a beneficial
role and down regulate them when they are maladaptative. She
has published six journal articles and four book chapters
Sorin Craciunas, M.D., Post Doctorate Fellow
913-588-9077, scraciunas@kumc.edu
Dr. Craciunas graduated Medicine Faculty in Constanta, Romania. He
worked as stagiar MD for two years in the General Surgery Unit
at Emergency Hospital in Constanta, Romania. Dr. Craciunas
subsequently accomplished seven years of training in neurosurgery
and has been an independent neurosurgeon since April 2006. His
clinical activity was done primarily in the Spinal Surgery Unit
at Bagdasar-Arseni Hospital, The National Reference Center for
Spinal Surgery in Romania, and with some international trainings
abroad, the most important being 6 months spent in Paris, France. Dr.
Craciunas’ research activity consisted of national epidemiological
studies about spinal cord injury in Romania and focused on conception
of a system of telemedicine for spinal cord injured patients
and collaborations in various projects designed to assist and
to improve the quality of life for the patients with spinal cord
injury. His research interests are orientated to neuroplasticity
in spinal cord injury, rerouting uninjured neurons after spinal
trauma, and neuroimagery data analysis and correlations.
Kathleen Gustafson, Ph.D., Associate Director of Fetal Magnetoencephalography
Research
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology
913-588-0065, kgustafson@kumc.edu
Biosketch (PDF)
Dr. Gustafson was awarded a Ph.D. in Visual Electrophysiology
in 1994 for describing abnormalities in retinal signal processing
in human subjects with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and mouse
models with dystrophin mutations. This work led to the co-discovery
of a new dystrophin isoform found only in retina (Dp260). Prior
to joining the Hoglund Brain Imaging Center, she was the Director
of the Vision Science Laboratory at The Children's Mercy Hospital
and Assistant Professor of Rehabilitative Medicine, University
of Missouri School of Medicine for nineteen years. She is the
Associate Director of the fetal MEG program and is also responsible
for research investigations related to Vision Science. Dr. Gustafson
was awarded a patent for her involvement in a multi-center trial
that showed the nutritional content of a new premature infant
formula was essential for optimal infant visual development.
She has published more than 20 peer-reviewed journal articles,
co-authored 2 book chapters and is currently funded to study
visual and stereo acuity development in full term infants fed
different diets, the effects of maternal smoking on fetal cardiac
and brain neurophysiology and cortical mapping in human ON-pathway
disorders.
Lisa R. Hale, Ph.D., Director of Anxiety Research Program
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology
913-649-8820 x3, lhale@kumc.edu
Biosketch (PDF)
Dr. Hale received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a subspecialty
in Health Psychology from Finch University of Health Sciences/The
Chicago Medical School, a leading program in the research and
treatment of anxiety disorders, and completed an APA accredited
internship in Clinical and Health Psychology at Charleston Area
Medical Center/West Virginia University School of Medicine. She
has extensive research and clinical training in cognitive-behavioral
(CBT) theories and treatments for anxiety, including exposure
and response prevention, intensive protocols for severe anxiety
disorders, and experience training other professionals in these
techniques. Dr. Hale completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Hoglund
Brain Imaging Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, funded
in part by a T-32 Training Grant from the National Institute
of Health. Remaining on faculty at HBIC/KUMC, her scholarly interests
and peer-reviewed publications have focused on the identification
of cognitive risk factors for anxiety disorders and improvements
in the delivery of CBT. Dr. Hale offers clinical services for
children and adults through the Kansas City Center for Anxiety
Treatment, P.A., a research and educational affiliate of HBIC/KUMC
(www.kcanxiety.com).
Yong-Yue He, Senior Research Associate
913-588-9094, yhe@kumc.edu
Biosketch (PDF)
Dr. He received his medical training from Nanjing Medical College
from 1955-1960. He was the Surgeon in Residence at Jiangdu People’s
Hospital in China from 1960-1973. He had a brief stay in the
Department of Neuroscience as a Neurosurgeon at the Tianjin First
Central Hospital in China from 1974-1975. He returned to Jiangdu
People’s Hospital in 1976 as a Staff Surgeon, and became
the Chief Surgeon in 1980. From 1983-1988 he became the Chief
Surgeon & Chairman of Department of Big Surgery in the Department
of Surgery at Yangzhou City People’s Hospital in China.
In 1988 he came to the United States as a Visiting Scholar at
the Medical University of South Carolina. He has since held positions
at Baylor College of Medicine and Washington University School
of Medicine. Dr. He joined HBIC in 2004 as a Senior Research
Associate working in the 9.4Tesla laboratory.
Justine Karungi, MBA, Grant Specialist
913-588-0045, jkarungi@kumc.edu
Justine earned her Bachelors degree in Statistics and Quantitative
Economics from Makerere University, Kampala-Uganda and then an
MBA in Healthcare Administration at Avila University, Kansas
City. She is currently in charge of grants administration at
the Hoglund Brain Imaging Center.
Jieun Kim Ph.D. Senior Research Associate
913-588-9079, jkim2@kumc.edu
Biosketch (PDF)
Dr. Kim received her PhD in Computing at the Imperial College,
London, UK. Her research topic was to develop a software system
to analyze microscopic cell images. Her postdoctoral training
at King's college of London UK was focused on fMRI on depression
and at Manchester University UK was to develop a cerebral pulsatility
model. She joined Hoglund Brain Imaging Center August 2007 after
working as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Wake Forest University Baptist
Medical Center. Dr. Kim's current research interests include
in vivo imaging of axonal transport and plaques of Alzheimer's
disease.
Sang-Pil Lee, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Department of Integrative and Molecular Physiology
913-588-0454, slee5@kumc.edu
Biosketch (PDF)
Dr. Lee received his Ph.D. in Biophysical Sciences and Medical
Physics from University of Minnesota. His research topic was
the physiological bases of functional MRI signals. Dr. Lee completed
his postdoctoral training at the Center for Magnetic Resonance
Research in University of Minnesota. His research continued at
the Nathan Kline Institute as a senior research scientist and
focused on the early detection of neurodegenerative diseases
including Alzheimer’s disease using MRI by visualizing ß-amyloid
plaques in the brain. Dr. Lee’s current research interests
include the characterization and understanding of biological
processes in the brain in vivo at the cellular and molecular
level using magnetic resonance. Dr. Lee also works on the development
of novel MR imaging techniques for early diagnosis and identification
of changes in functional and physiological aspects of neurodegenerative
diseases during the disease progression.
Jo Ann Lierman, RNC, ARNP, Ph.D., Nurse Clinician and
Study Coordinator
913-588-0060, jlierman@kumc.edu
Jo Ann Lierman is a nationally certified clinical specialist
in medical-surgical nursing and an advanced registered nurse
practitioner in the state of Kansas and Missouri. She has been
in practice for over 25 years in community-based as well as acute
care settings. She has been on faculty at the University of Kansas
School of Nursing, as well as Graceland College School of Nursing.
Dr. Lierman has been involved in research studies in the areas
of patient education, perioperative care, and the development
of critical thinking in undergraduate nursing students. Dr. Lierman
received her BSN from Graceland College, MN from the University
of Kansas, Ed.S. from the University of Missouri, and Ph.D. in
adult education and curriculum development from the University
of Missouri.
Heather Lipp, MHSA, Assistant Director
913-588-9067, hlipp@kumc.edu
Heather earned her Bachelors of Arts in Business Administration
and Communications in 1999 from Jamestown College. She
also received her Masters in Health Services Administration in
2005 from the University of Kansas. She is a Member with
the American College of Healthcare Executives. Heather
is currently responsible for the day to day operational,
administrative, financial, and human resources functions of the
Hoglund Brain Imaging Center. She joined HBIC in June
2007.
Laura Martin, Ph.D., Post Doctorate Fellow
913-588-7279, lmartin2@kumc.edu
Dr. Martin received her Ph.D. in Psychology with an emphasis
in Cognitive Neuroscience from Rice University. Her training
included coursework in cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience.
In addition, she has attended the Dartmouth Summer Institute
in Cognitive Neuroscience and MGH’s Functional MRI Visiting
Fellowship. Dr. Martin’s graduate work focused on the neural
systems of reward processing and individual differences related
to impulsivity. Specifically, her doctoral dissertation, which
was funded by a predoctoral NRSA training fellowship, examined
both event-related potentials (ERPs) and functional magnetic
resonance imaging (fMRI) as related to reward prediction and
action-monitoring among high and low impulsive college students.
This line of research is currently being expanded to clinical
populations with impulse control disorders such as nicotine addiction
and obesity. Dr. Martin’s research has been presented at
meetings of the Society of Psychophysiological Research and Cognitive
Neuroscience meetings.
Anda Popescu, M.Sc., Research Associate
913-588-9077, apopescu@kumc.edu
Biosketch (PDF)
Anda Popescu received her Master of Science in Medical Physics
from the University of Patras, Greece, in 1998. Prior to joining
HBIC, she was enrolled as a research student in the Graduate
School of Life Science and Systems Engineering at Kyushu Institute
of Technology, Japan, under the Japanese Government Scholarship
Program (MONBUSHO), and completed her pre-doctoral studies as
a student trainee in the Human Brain Dynamics Laboratory, Brain
Science Institute, RIKEN, Japan (2001-2003). Her research interest
is focusing on the development and design of advanced computational
methods and tools for multivariate data analysis.
Mihai Popescu, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor
Department of Integrative
and Molecular Physiology
913-588-3519, mpopescu@kumc.edu
Biosketch (PDF)
Mihai Popescu received his BS Degree in Electrical Engineering
from “Politehnica” University of Bucharest, Romania.
He was a Postgraduate Student (as a TEMPUS grant holder) of the
European Postgraduate Course of Biomedical Engineering, organized
by the Department of Medical Physics at the University of Patras,
Greece. He received the MS Degree (as the best student), and
the PhD degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University
of Patras. He worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the Human
Brain Dynamics Laboratory, Brain Science Institute, RIKEN, Japan,
before joining the Hoglund Brain Imaging Center, KUMC, in 2003.
The focus of his research is on the design of beamforming algorithms
that can provide accurate estimates of the spatio-temporal dynamics
of brain activity from multi-channel MEG recordings. Applications
of the source reconstruction methodology focus on understanding
fundamental brain mechanisms using unimodal/multimodal stimulation
paradigms. A second area of research focuses on developing algorithms
for the reconstruction of fetal cardiac currents from multi-channel
fMCG recordings, including innovative methodologies for the integration
of 3D ultrasound information of the feto-abdominal anatomy into
the discrete formulation of the forward electromagnetic problem.
Applications include examining longitudinal changes of fetal
cardiac electrophysiology and the impact of maternal smoking
on fetal heart.
Cary Savage, Ph.D., Director of Functional MRI
Associate
Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
913-588-9078, csavage@kumc.edu
Biosketch (PDF)
Dr. Savage received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Oklahoma
State University. He completed an internship in clinical psychology
and postdoctoral fellowships in neuropsychology and functional
neuroimaging at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)/Harvard
Medical School. He remained on the faculty of MGH and served
as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at
Harvard Medical School and the Director of Cognitive Neuroscience
in the Department of Psychiatry at MGH. Dr. Savage also served
as Director of Research and Training in the Division of Behavioral
and Mental Health at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. He was
the founding Director of the Neuropsychology track in the APA-accredited
Internship in Clinical Psychology at MGH. Dr. Savage moved to
Kansas City in 2003 and now serves as Director of Functional
MRI in the HBIC and as an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and
Behavioral Sciences at KUMC. Dr. Savage’s research is funded
by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and private foundations.
His research focuses on the roles of prefrontal cortex and limbic
system in memory and motivational processes, and how these networks
are disrupted in psychiatric and neurologic conditions. Dr. Savage
has published over 75 original research and review articles.
He serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Geriatric
Psychiatry and Neurology.
Allan Schmitt, R.T., (R) (MR), Laboratory Director
913-588-9069, aschmitt@kumc.edu
Allan graduated with Honors from Houston Community College with
an AAS in Radiography. He has 16 years experience ranging from
Level 1 trauma to clinical research and drug trials. Allan is
affiliated with ARRT, ASRT, ISMRM, and Phi Theta Kappa.
Wen-Tung Wang, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate
913-558-7289, wwang3@kumc.edu
Biosketch (PDF)
Dr. Wang received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research topic
was dual isotope imaging in single photon emission tomography
(SPECT). Dr. Wang completed his postdoctoral training in magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) at the Magnetic Resonance Research Laboratory
of Mayo Clinic. He continued his research in MRI at the University
of Virginia as a research scientist and his research focused
on the rapid imaging techniques. Dr. Wang’s current research
focuses on in vivo brain energy metabolism using magnetic resonance
techniques.
Muriel Williams, R.T. (R), MRI Technologist
913-588-9090, mwilliams@kumc.edu
Muriel Williams earned her certificate in Radiologic Technology
at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri in 1998.
Immediately after graduation, Muriel expanded her knowledge at
Truman Medical Center, a level I trauma facility. She has eight
years experience in healthcare. Ms. Williams has specialized
in Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
Muriel joined the Hoglund Brain Imaging Center in 2003 where
she is involved in both research and diagnostic MRI exams.
Baraa Al-Hafez, M.D., Research Assistant
Dr. Al-Hafez received his Medical Doctorate degree from Tichreen
University, Syria, in 2001. He has eighteen months of experience
in internal medicine in Riyadh. In 2002, he moved to the United
States for better opportunities in the medical field. As a
Research Associate at HBIC, he worked to increase his knowledge
in magnetic resonance imaging and neuroscience and also to
benefit others by working as a researcher. Dr. Al-Hafez left
HBIC in May 2006 to begin his medical residency.
Mary Caruso, MA, BCBA, Graduate Research Assistant
Mary was a graduate research assistant with the Hoglund Brain
Imaging Center. She was conducting her doctoral dissertation
on food-related obsessions and compulsions in individuals with
Prader-Willi Syndrome using Magnetoencephalography. Her interests
include neurobiological aspects and psychopharmacology of developmental
disabilities and mental disorders.
Laura Holsen, Ph.D. Post-doctoral Fellow
HOLSEN@Waisman.Wisc.Edu
Laura received her M.S. in Developmental Psychology from Vanderbilt
University in 2001 and her Ph.D. in Child and Developmental Psychology
from the University of Kansas in 2004. Her dissertation work,
supervised by Dr. Cary Savage and completed at HBIC, examined
the neural mechanisms of hyperphagia in Prader-Willi syndrome.
She is currently an NICHD Postdoctoral Fellow at the Waisman
Lab for Brain Imaging and Behavior at the University of Wisconsin
- Madison, where she works with Dr. Richie Davidson to investigate
behavioral phenotypes of neurodevelopmental disabilities. Her
current projects on Fragile X syndrome use fMRI to examine social/emotional
processing, gaze aversion, and the interaction between emotion
and memory processing in this population.
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The University of Kansas Medical Center