The Quantitative Biomedical Imaging and Spectroscopy (QBIS) Lab, led by Dr. Rachel K. Surowiec at the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, is dedicated to revolutionizing the understanding and treatment of skeletal fragility and related conditions. By combining state-of-the-art imaging modalities with advanced AI and mechanics, our lab aims to illuminate the interplay between composition, structure, and biomechanical function in health and disease. We specialize in making the conventionally "unseen" visible. Through novel ultrashort echo time magnetic resonance imaging (UTE MRI) and advanced k-space trajectories such as PETALUTE, we quantify extremely short T2 tissues, including bone and lung. Using PETALUTE, we aim to dramatically reduce acquisition time while addressing under-sampling through compressed sensing and deep learning. Our innovations extend to AI-driven solutions for rigid motion correction and microstructure enhancement in HR-pQCT, non-rigid motion correction in UTE lung MRI, and generative models for reconstructing sparse-view CT images.
A core focus of the QBIS Lab is leveraging radiomics to identify biomarkers of risk and resilience for predicting bone fragility and fracture risk. By transforming imaging data of bone and muscle into a minable -omics database, we challenge traditional norms in the field and uncover novel, actionable biomarkers. This approach is particularly impactful in models of bone fragility, including X-linked hypophosphatemia, chronic kidney disease, postmenopausal osteoporosis, and rapid weight loss scenarios such as those following bariatric surgery or GLP-1 receptor agonist treatments.
Our work spans multiple length scales: from MRI-based biomarkers that detect early signs of disease onset to Fourier transformation and thermogravimetric analysis that unravel the spatial-temporal dynamics of bone's basic building blocks. By uniting imaging, spectroscopy, and engineering principles, we aim to shift paradigms in the detection, understanding, and treatment of skeletal fragility. With a team of five brilliant PhD students at the intersection of imaging, AI, and biomechanics, the QBIS Lab is driving innovation to improve outcomes for patients facing debilitating bone conditions.
