Project Description:

Functional MRI (fMRI) has become an important imaging tool in the study of human brain functions. However, it is expensive and physically restrictive, requiring people to lie in the narrow space motionlessly for hours during the scan. These unnatural factors, including supine position, loud environment, and confined space, may significantly affect brain function. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive, low-cost, highly adaptable optical imaging modality, which can be used to measure brain functions in natural settings. However, due to the nature of diffused optics, NIRS is prone to physiological noise in the light paths. In this project, we propose a test-retest on NIRS liabilities on a single subject in a natural setting over the period of 6 months. The goal of the project is to 1) determine the reproducibility of fNIRS; 2) develop/optimize denoising strategies; 3) determine the sensitivity of fNIRS in the single subject's longitudinal study; 4) determine the impact of a natural setting on brain function. Optimizing fNIRS technology has the potential to advance our understanding of the brain, improve brain-computer interface technology, and to expand the neuroimaging possibilities in multiple clinical populations.

Start Date:

Spring/Summer 2023

Postdoc Qualifications:

PhD in Neuroscience, Psychology, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field.
Comprehensive knowledge of the acquisition and analysis of physiological signals (previous experience with fNIRS, EEG, and/or fMRI preferred).
Fluency in MATLAB, Python, or related language.
Practical experience with the setup and preparation of research subjects for measurement of physiological signals.

Co-Advisors:

Yunjie Tong, tong61@purdue.edu, Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, https://engineering.purdue.edu/TongLab

Maureen Shader, mshader@purdue.edu, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/slhs/directory/faculty/shader_maureen.html

Bibliography:

S. L. Novi, E. J. Forero, J. A. I. Rubianes Silva, N. G. S. R. de Souza, G. G. Martins, A. Quiroga, et al. (2020) Integration of Spatial Information Increases Reproducibility in Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy. Frontiers in Neuroscience. Vol. 14. DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00746

Poldrack, R. A., Laumann, T. O., Koyejo, O., Gregory, B., Hover, A., Chen, M. Y., ... & Mumford, J. A. (2015). Long-term neural and physiological phenotyping of a single human. Nature communications, 6(1), 1-15.

H. Zohdi, F. Scholkmann and U. Wolf. (2021). Individual Differences in Hemodynamic Responses Measured on the Head Due to a Long-Term Stimulation Involving Colored Light Exposure and a Cognitive Task: A SPA-fNIRS Study. Brain Sci. Vol. 11 Issue 1.